Methods of treating macular corneal dystrophy

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an isolated polypeptide encoding a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) or active fragment thereof, where the GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate. The present invention also provides a method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy. The method includes the steps of administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that increases expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST, whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of the subject is elevated. A method of the invention can be used to treat macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II.

[0001] This application is based on, and claims the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. ______ (yet to be assigned), filed Aug. 11, 2000, which was converted from U.S. Ser. No. 09/638,211, and entitled METHODS OF TREATING MACULAR CORNEAL DYSTROPHY and which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application was made with government support under CA71932 awarded by the National Institute of Health. The government has certain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates generally to ophthalmology and keratan sulfate biology and, more specifically, to identification of a novel corneal keratan sulfate sulfotransferase involved in macular corneal dystrophy.

[0005] 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0006] Blindness, which afflicts nearly 40 million people worldwide, can be caused by trauma, infection or genetic inheritance. While trauma and infection can be prevented or at times treated, relatively few options are available to prevent or treat blindness that results from a genetic predisposition.

[0007] One hereditary cause of blindness is macular corneal dystrophy (MCD; MIM 217800), an autosomal recessive disease that develops in the cornea of both eyes as diffuse grayish white spots (opacities) with indistinct edges, and progressively leads to severe visual impairment. Macular corneal dystrophy appears in the first decade of life and affects the central portion of the anterior layers of the stroma. By the third decade, the diffuse stromal opacity with its ground glass appearance extends posteriorly to the endothelium and laterally to the limbus. Within the stroma are small irregular, white patches that continue to expand, enlarge, and become more confluent. Late in the course of the disease, Descement's membrane becomes opacified and there are endothelial guttate changes.

[0008] Histopathologically, the opacities are accumulations of glycosylaminoglycans within the endoplasmic reticulum which are thought to accumulate because of an inability to break down corneal keratan sulfate.

[0009] MCD is classified into two principal subtypes, type I and type II. Type I MCD is more prevalent and is characterized by the absence of antigenic keratan sulfate in the cornea, serum, and cartilage due to a genetic defect resulting in production of abnormal keratan-aminoglycan. In contrast to patients with type I MCD, keratan sulfate is detectable in the serum of patient's with type II MCD, although the level can be below normal levels. Both types of macular corneal dystrophy exhibit clinically similar phenotypes in the cornea.

[0010] The established treatment of macular corneal dystrophy is penetrating keratoplasty. However, the disease can recur in the graft, with the recurrence rate estimated to be inversely proportional to the graft size. Excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy has been attempted, but post-treatment vision may still be clouded by residual diffuse stromal haze (Wu et al. Arch. Ohthalmol. 109:1426-1432 (1991)). Recent preliminary results with phototherapeutic keratectomy have been more promising (Wagoner and Badr, J. Refract. Sura. 15:481-484 (1999)).

[0011] While the catabolism of keratan sulfate is understood, little is known concerning the biosynthesis of this important component of both cornea and cartilage. To date, chromosome 16 has been linked to MCD type I (Vance et al., Am. J. Human Genet. 58:757-762 (1996); Lui, et al., Brit. J. Ophthalmol. 82:241-244 (1998)). However, the molecular defect underlying macular corneal dystrophy types I and II, which would provide the basis for dramatic improvements in genetic testing, treatment and prevention of this disease, remains to be identified.

[0012] Thus, there exists a need to determine the genetic cause of macular corneal dystrophy and to develop less radical options for the treatment and prevention of this disease. The present invention satisfies this need and provides additional advantages as well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which contains a sequence encoding a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) or active fragment thereof, where said GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. An isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and can contain SEQ ID NO: 1 or a portion thereof. In one embodiment, the sulfation of keratan sulfate produces sulfated keratan sulfate immunoreactive with antibody 5D4. In another embodiment, the sulfation of keratan sulfate produces sulfated keratan sulfate hydrolyzable by keratanase.

[0014] The invention further provides a vector such as a mammalian expression vector, that contains a nucleic acid molecule encoding a corneal GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof, where the GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate. Host cells that contain a vector of the invention also are provided.

[0015] The invention further provides an oligonucleotide which contains a nucleotide sequence having at least 10 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 38, or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto, provided that the oligonucleotide does not consist of GenBank accession number AI824100. Such an oligonucleotide can have, for example, at least 15 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 38, or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto.

[0016] The invention also provides an isolated polypeptide encoding a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) or active fragment thereof, where the GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate. An isolated corneal GlcNAc6ST of the invention can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0017] Further provided by the invention is substantially purified antibody material that specifically binds a corneal GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate. The substantially purified antibody material can specifically binds a GlcNAc6ST having, for example, the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 2. In one embodiment, the substantially purified antibody material is monoclonal antibody material.

[0018] The present invention also provides a method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy. The method includes the steps of administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that increases expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST, whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of the subject is elevated. A method of the invention can be used to treat macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II. In one embodiment, the expression or activity of an endogenous GlcNAc6ST is increased. In another embodiment, the expression or activity of human corneal GlcNAc6ST or murine GlcNAc6ST is increased. In further embodiments, the agent is, for example, a nucleic acid molecule encoding a GlcNAc6ST, or active fragment thereof that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate, or is a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide or active fragment thereof. In yet another embodiment, an agent useful in the invention increases transcription of a GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate and can, for example, selectively increase transcription of GlcNAc6ST in the cornea of the subject.

[0019] The invention further provides an ex vivo method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy. In a method of the invention, an effective amount of an agent that increases expression or activity of a N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase is administered in vitro to primary, explanted corneal cells; and these cells are introduced into the cornea of the subject, whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate is elevated in the cornea of the subject.

[0020] The invention further provides a method of monitoring therapeutic efficacy in a subject being treated for macular corneal dystrophy. The method includes the steps of obtaining a test sample from the subject; determining a sample level of expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST in the test sample; and comparing the sample level to a reference level from the subject; whereby an increase in the sample level relative to said reference level is indicative of productive therapy. In such a method of the invention, the sample level can be measured, for example, using an antibody that specifically binds GlcNAc6ST. The sample level also can be measured, for example, using a nucleic acid molecule that specifically hybridizes to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 38.

[0021] The invention further provides a method of determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy in an individual. The method includes the step of determining the presence or absence in an individual of a MCD-associated allele linked to a corneal GlcNAc6ST locus, where the presence of the MCD-associated allele indicates susceptibility to MCD in said individual. A method of the invention can be useful, for example, to diagnose type I MCD or type II MCD. In a method of the invention, the MCD-associated allele can be localized, for example, within a corneal GlcNAc6ST gene such as within a corneal GlcNAc6ST coding region. In one embodiment, the MCD-associated allele is one of the following mutations of SEQ ID NO: 1: deletion of the entire open reading frame, a frameshift mutation nucleotide 1106, 1213A→G, 1301C→A, 1512G→A, 1323C→T or 840C→A. In another embodiment, the MCD-associated allele occurs within the region coding the 3′-phosphate binding domain of corneal GlcNAc6ST such as 203D→E and 211R→W in SEQ ID NO: 2. In yet a further embodiment, the MCD-associated allele occurs within a corneal GlcNAc6ST 5′ regulatory region such as CHST6.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 shows the human corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) and predicted amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:2).

[0023]FIG. 2 shows an alignment of amino acid sequences encoding human corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (SEQ ID NO:2; hC-GlcNAc6ST), human intestinal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (SEQ ID NO:4; hI-GlcNAc6ST), and mouse intestinal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (SEQ ID NO:5; mGlcNAc6ST). The consensus sequence is shown above as SEQ ID NO: 3.

[0024]FIG. 3A shows the radiation hybrid map of the human CHST6 locus. The horizontal line represents a part of chromosome 16q22, positioned with centromere to the left and q-telomere to the right. Locations and directions of the genes encoding I- and C-GlcNAc6ST are shown by arrows and arrowheads. Distances between each marker correspond to Stanford G3 radiation hybrid map version 2.0. FIG. 3B shows genomic structures of CHST5 and CHST6. Directions of each gene are indicated by arrows. Exons and coding regions are shown in open and gray boxes, respectively. Hatched boxes indicate upstream regions which are enlarged and shown in FIG. 3A. FIG. 3C shows an alignment of a portion of C-GlcNAc6ST (human corneal GlcNAc6ST; SEQ ID NO: 6) with other sulfotransferases: I-GlcNAc6ST (human intestinal GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase; (SEQ ID NO: 7; Lee et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 263:543-549 (1999)), HEC-GlcNAc6ST (human high-endothelial-cell GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase; SEQ ID NO: 8; Bistrup et al., J. Cell Biol. 145:899-910 (1999)), GlcNAc6ST (human GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase; SEQ ID NO:9; Uchimura et al., J. Biochem. 124:670-678 (1998)), KSG6ST (human KS Gal-6-sulfotransferase; SEQ ID NO: 10; Fukuda et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272:32321-32328 (1997)); and Ch6ST (human chondroitin-6-sulfotransferase; SEQ ID NO: 11; Fukuda et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1399:57-61 (1998)). Clustal W version 1.7 (Thompson et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 22:4673-4680 (1994)) was used for multiple alignment of amino acid sequences. Highlighted letters and letters on gray background represent identical and conserved amino acids, respectively. Double underlines indicate 5′- and 3′-phosphate binding domains reported previously (Kakuta et al., Nature Struct. Biol. 4:904-908 (1997), and Kakuta et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 23:129-130 (1998)). Mutated amino acids found in C-GlcNAc6ST in MCD patients are marked by asterisks.

[0025]FIG. 4 shows the distribution of sulfated KS and CHST6 transcripts in human normal and MCD type II corneas. Semiserial tissue sections of normal cornea (A-L) and MCD type II cornea (M-U) were sequentially analyzed by immunohistochemistry for sulfated keratan sulfate (A-D and M-O) and in situ hybridization for CHST6 mRNA (E-L and P-U). Corneal endothelial cells were not included in the MCD type II sample. The clefts in the stroma are artifacts due to tissue processing. The corneal epithelial cells (B, F, J, N, Q and T), stroma (C, G, K, 0, R and U) and endothelial cells (D, H and L) are shown under high magnification. Immunostaining was performed with anti-sulfated KS antibody, 5D4, in A-D and M-O. In situ hybridization was performed with CHST6 anti-sense probe (E-H, P-R) and sense probe (I-L and S-U). Bar in S=200 μm, and bar in U=50 μm.

[0026]FIG. 5 shows MCD type I mutations in a representative family. Boxed haplotypes shown under a pedigree of MCD family represent disease-associated haplotypes. PCR-RFLP analysis is also shown under each family member. Sequence chromatograms of the mutated region of CHST6 in normal and MCD families are shown at the right. The mutated nucleotide and the substituted amino acid shown under sequence chromatograms are underlined. PCR-RFLP analysis confirmed segregation of the CHST6 mutation in this family.

[0027]FIG. 6 shows DNA rearrangements found in the upstream region of CHST6 in MCD type II patients. FIG. 6A shows an illustration of homologous regions located upstream of CHST5 and CHST6, represented as hatched boxes in FIG. 3B. Homologous upstream regions A and B in each gene are shaded. Exon 1 is marked for each gene. Gray arrows show Alu repetitive sequences. Open arrowheads indicate PCR primers used for detection of DNA rearrangements in MCD type II patients. Black box shows a probe used for Southern blot analysis. FIG. 6B shows homozygous replacement found in two MCD type II patients. Boxed haplotypes indicate homozygosity in these patients. PCR reactions were performed with genomic DNA from normal individuals and patients using the primers shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. 6C shows an MCD family with both type I and type II mutations. Haplotypes with gray background indicate the missense mutation (R50C, Table 1) classified as type I. FIG. 6D shows an MCD type II family with a deletion mutation found upstream of CHST6. Genomic DNAs from patients and unaffected family members were digested by SpeI. Southern blot analysis shows a lack of positive bands in lanes with patient samples; conversely, bands are apparent in lanes representing unaffected individuals. By genomic PCR analysis, junction of this large deletion was identified on homologous region B shown in FIG. 6A.

[0028]FIG. 7 shows distinct types of mutations within CHST6 are associated with MCD type I and MCD type II. FIG. 7A shows mutations which affect enzymatic activity of C-GlcNAc6ST, such as missense mutations and frame shift mutations, can inactivate C-GlcNAc6ST in not only the cornea but also in other tissues, resulting in a lack of serum sulfated KS. FIG. 7B shows that mutations in the gene regulatory region of CHST6 abolish expression of C-GlcNAc6ST in corneal cells but not in other tissues, resulting in the presence of sulfated KS in serum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Genetic lesions can result in certain forms of blindness that are difficult to prevent or treat. One hereditary form of blindness is macular corneal dystrophy, in which the cornea becomes progressively more opaque. Macular corneal dystrophy is characterized biochemically by the presence of abnormally sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea (Nakazawa et al., J. Biol. Chem. 259:13751-13757 (1984); Klintworth et al., Ophthalmic Pediatr. Genet. 7:139-143 (1986); Thonar et al., Am. J. Ophthalmol. 102:561-569 (1986); and Edward et al., Ophthalmology 97:1194-1200 (1990)). While macular corneal dystrophy is characterized by a lack of normal keratan sulfate in the cornea, sulfated keratan sulfate is present in the serum of some MCD patients. Macular corneal dystrophy can be grouped into two types: type II MCD patients contain sulfated keratan sulfate in their serum, while it is and absent in the serum of type I MCD patients (Yang et al., Am. J. Ophthalmol. 106:65-71 (1988) and Edward et al., Arch. Ophthalmol. 106:1579-1583 (1988)). In spite of some knowledge regarding the biochemical defect, the underlying molecular lesion responsible for the abnormally sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of MCD patients has yet to be identified.

[0030] The present invention is directed to the exciting discovery of a novel human N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase and of the determination that genetic lesions in the gene encoding this enzyme result in macular corneal dystrophy. The novel sulfotransferase, which is encoded by the CHST6 gene, has been designated corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (C-GlcNAc6ST, SEQ ID NO:2) and is shown in FIG. 1, and an alignment of the encoded protein with human intestinal GlcNAc6ST and murine intestinal GlcNAc6ST is shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, as disclosed in Example III, in situ hybridization using labeled oligonucleotide probes specific for CHST6 demonstrated that C-GlcNAc6ST is expressed in normal human cornea, but not in the cornea of type II MCD patients, and that sulfated keratan sulfate is detected by the anti-sulfated keratan sulfate antibody 5D4 in normal cornea but not in the cornea of type II patients (see FIG. 4). These results indicate that expression of C-GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2) is correlated with that of sulfated KS in human cornea.

[0031] As further disclosed herein in Example VI, sequencing analysis and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of type I MCD patients revealed inactivating mutations in the coding sequence of the novel corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase, including deletions, frame-shifting insertions and missense mutations (see Table 1 and FIG. 5). Furthermore, southern blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis disclosed in Example V demonstrated that regions upstream of the CHST6 gene are altered or missing in type II MCD patients (Table 1 and FIG. 6). A nearby carbohydrate sulfotransferase gene, CHST5, contains an upstream region homologous to the upstream region of CHST6 (see Example II and FIG. 6A); and the identified alterations and deletions in MCD type II patients are localized to these homologous regions (Example V). These results indicate that the lack of functional C-GlcNAc6ST expression in cornea is well correlated with macular corneal dystrophy and further indicate that C-GlcNAc6ST coding region mutations are associated with type I MCD while regulatory region mutations are associated with type II MCD.

[0032] As further disclosed herein in Example VI, a C-GlcNAc6ST encoding nucleic acid was transfected into HeLa cells, which normally do not produce sulfated keratan sulfate, and, when keratan sulfate was provided as the substrate, sulfated keratan sulfate was detected using the 5D4 antibody (Table 2). This result demonstrates that genetically engineered expression of C-GlcNAc6ST can be sufficient to produce sulfated keratan sulfate, thus correcting the biochemical defect underlying macular corneal dystrophy. These discoveries provide a basis for novel methods of diagnosing and predicting susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy, and for gene therapy to treat this disorder.

[0033] Thus, the present invention provides an isolated polypeptide that encodes a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) or active fragment thereof that catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate. Such a corneal GlcNAc6ST can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of human SEQ ID NO:2 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0034] As used herein, the term “isolated” means a polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule that is in a form that is relatively free from contaminating lipids, polypeptides, nucleic acids or other cellular material normally associated with the polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule in a cell.

[0035] The term “N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase” or “GlcNAc6ST,” as used herein, means an enzyme that catalyzes the addition of a sulfate ester to keratan sulfate when expressed in cornea. Preferably, a GlcNAc6ST catalyzes the addition of a sulfate ester to carbon 6 of N-acetylglucosamine of keratan sulfate I in cornea. Similarly, the phrase “catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate,” as used herein, means the enzymatic addition of a sulfate ester to keratan sulfate to form sulfated keratan sulfate, preferably addition of a sulfate ester to carbon 6 of N-acetylglucosamine of keratan sulfate I. The presence of sulfated keratan sulfate can be determined, for example, using an anti-sulfated keratan sulfate antibody such as 5D4, available from Seikagaku Co. (Falmouth, Mass.), as disclosed herein in Example VI. In one embodiment, the ability of a GlcNAc6ST to catalyze sulfation of keratan sulfate is determined by expression of the polypeptide in HeLa cells. Human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2) and murine intestinal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 5), which in HeLa cells produce sulfated keratan sulfate detectable with 5D4 antibody are both GlcNAc6STs that catalyze sulfate of keratan sulfate as defined herein. In contrast, human intestinal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (SEQ ID NO:4), which does not catalyze sulfation of keratan sulfate when expressed in HeLa cells (see Example VI), is not a “GlcNAc6ST” as defined herein. A GlcNAc6ST of the invention generally has at least 50% amino acid sequence identity to human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2), and can have 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80% or more % sequence identity to human GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2). Percent amino acid identity can be determined using Clustal W version 1.7 (Thompson et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 22:4673-4680 (1994)).

[0036] The nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides of the invention encode a corneal GlcNAc6ST. The term “corneal GlcNAc6ST” as used herein, means a GlcNAc6ST that is structurally similar to human corneal GlcNAc6ST and that functions as a GlcNAc6ST to catalyze the sulfation of keratan sulfate. Such a corneal GlcNAc6ST has 90% or more sequence identity to human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2), and can have 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% or more sequence identity to human GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2). Percent amino acid identity can be determined using Clustal W version 1.7 (Thompson et al., supra, 1994). In view of the above, murine intestinal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:4), which shares 88.1% amino acid identity with human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2), is not a “corneal GlcNAc6ST” as defined herein. As set forth above, human intestinal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:4) is not a “GlcNAc6ST” as defined herein, and, similarly is not a “corneal GlcNAc6ST” as defined herein.

[0037] Thus, it is clear to the skilled person that the term “corneal GlcNAc6ST” encompasses polypeptides with one or more naturally occurring or non-naturally occurring amino acid substitutions, deletions or insertions as compared to SEQ ID NO: 2, provided that the peptide has at least 90% amino acid identity with SEQ ID NO: 2 and encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. A corneal GlcNAc6ST can be, for example, a naturally occurring variant of human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2), a species homolog such as a primate corneal GlcNAc6ST, a GlcNAc6ST mutated by recombinant techniques, and the like.

[0038] Modifications to SEQ ID NO: 2 that are encompassed within the invention include, for example, an addition, deletion, or substitution of one or more conservative or non-conservative amino acid residues; substitution of a compound that mimics amino acid structure or function; or addition of chemical moieties such as amino or acetyl groups. The activity of a modified GlcNAc6ST polypeptide or fragment thereof can be assayed, for example, by transfecting an encoding nucleic acid molecule into HeLa cells and assaying for the presence of sulfated keratan sulfate, for example, by immunoreactivity to the 5D4 antibody, as disclosed herein.

[0039] A particularly useful modification of a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide of the invention, or active fragment thereof, is a modification that confers, for example, increased stability. Incorporation of one or more D-amino acids is a modification useful in increasing stability of a polypeptide or polypeptide fragment. Similarly, deletion or substitution of lysine can increase stability by protecting against degradation.

[0040] The human GlcNAc6ST of the invention catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. Keratan is a proteoglycan found in tissue such as cartilage and cornea. Typically, keratan sulfate referred to herein means type I keratan sulfate located in cornea. “Normal” keratan sulfate, also referred to herein as “sulfated” keratan sulfate, means wild type keratan sulfate I that is sulfated on carbon 6 of N-acetylglucosamine. Abnormal keratan sulfate refers to keratan sulfate that contains no sulfate or is improperly sulfated, and therefore does not contain the sulfated carbon 6 of N-acetylglucosamine present in normal keratan sulfate. Normal and abnormal keratan sulfate can be distinguished using any of a variety methods known in the art, for example, immunoreactivity using antibodies that specifically bind normal keratan sulfate such as antibody 5D4, hexosamine sugar analysis, sensitivity to keratanase digestion, and the like, as taught herein and in publications such as Nakazawa et al., J. Biol. Chem. 259:13751-13757 (1984) and Yang et al., Am. J. Ophthalmol. 106:65-71 (1988).

[0041] The present invention also provides active fragments of a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide. As used herein, the term “active fragment” means a polypeptide fragment that has substantially the amino acid sequence of a portion of a corneal GlcNAc6ST and that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. An active fragment of a corneal GlcNAc6ST can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of a portion of human GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2), which can be, for example, the catalytic domain. In one embodiment, an active fragment contains substantially the sequence of Ser²⁷ to Asn³⁹⁵. Sulfotransferase activity can be assayed using methods known in the art such as those used in Example VI or those used in Habuchi et al., Glycobioloqy 6:51-57 (1996).

[0042] In one embodiment, a polypeptide of the invention has substantially the amino acid sequence of human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2). As used herein, the term “substantially the amino acid sequence” when used in reference to a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide or an active fragment thereof, is intended to mean an identical sequence, or a similar, non-identical sequence that is considered by those skilled in the art to be a functionally equivalent amino acid sequence. For example, an amino acid sequence that has substantially the amino acid sequence of a human GlcNAc6ST polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 2) can have one or more modifications such as amino acid additions, deletions or substitutions relative to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, provided that the modified polypeptide retains substantially the ability to catalyze the sulfation of keratan sulfate.

[0043] The present invention also provides substantially purified antibody material that specifically binds a corneal GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. Such antibody material, which can be polyclonal or monoclonal antibody material, specifically binds a corneal GlcNAc6ST such as human GlcNAc6ST having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0044] A corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide or polypeptide fragment can be used to prepare the substantially purified antibody material of the invention. Such antibody material can be, for example, substantially purified polyclonal antiserum or monoclonal antibody material. The antibody material of the invention can be useful, for example, in determining the level of expression of corneal GlcNAc6ST in a subject.

[0045] As used herein, the term “antibody material” is used in its broadest sense to include polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, as well as polypeptide fragments of antibodies that retain a specific binding activity for a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide of at least about 1×10⁵ M⁻¹. One skilled in the art would know that anti-corneal GlcNAc6ST antibody fragments such as Fab, F(ab′)₂ and Fv fragments can retain specific binding activity for a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide and, thus, are included within the definition of antibody material. In addition, the term “antibody material,” as used herein, encompasses non-naturally occurring antibodies and fragments containing, at a minimum, one V_(H) and one V_(L) domain, such as chimeric antibodies, humanized antibodies and single chain Fv fragments (scFv) that specifically bind a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide. Such non-naturally occurring antibodies can be constructed using solid phase peptide synthesis, produced recombinantly or obtained, for example, by screening combinatorial libraries consisting of variable heavy chains and variable light chains as described by Borrebaeck (Ed.), Antibody Engineering (Second edition) New York: Oxford University Press (1995)).

[0046] Antibody material “specific for” a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide, or that “specifically binds” a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide, binds with substantially higher affinity to human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2) or another corneal GlcNAc6ST than to other sulfotransferases. The substantially purified antibody material of the invention also can bind with significantly higher affinity to a GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate than to another sulfotransferase that does not catalyze the sulfation of keratan sulfate, such as human intestinal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 4).

[0047] Anti-corneal GlcNAc6ST antibody material can be prepared, for example, using a human GlcNAc6ST fusion protein or a synthetic peptide encoding a portion of a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide such as SEQ ID NO:2 as an immunogen. One skilled in the art would know that a purified corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide, which can be produced recombinantly, or a fragment of a corneal GlcNAc6ST, including a peptide portion of a corneal GlcNAc6ST such as a synthetic peptide, can be used as an immunogen. Non-immunogenic fragments or synthetic peptides of a corneal GlcNAc6ST can be made immunogenic by coupling the hapten to a carrier molecule such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) or hemocyanin from horseshoe crab or keyhole limpet. In addition, various other carrier molecules and methods for coupling a hapten to a carrier molecule are well known in the art as described, for example, by Harlow and Lane, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1988)) and Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York (2000).

[0048] The term “substantially purified,” as used herein in reference to antibody material, means that the antibody material is substantially devoid of polypeptides, nucleic acids and other cellular material with which an antibody is normally associated in a cell. The claimed antibody material that specifically binds a corneal GlcNAc6ST further is substantially devoid of antibody material of unrelated specificities, i.e. that does not specifically bind a corneal GlcNAc6ST. The antibody material of the invention can be prepared in substantially purified form using, for example, GlcNAc6ST affinity purification of polyclonal anti-corneal GlcNAc6ST antisera, by screening phage displayed antibodies against a corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide such as SEQ ID NO: 2, or as monoclonal antibodies prepared from hybridomas.

[0049] The present invention also provides a method of modifying an acceptor molecule by contacting the acceptor molecule with an isolated corneal GlcNAc6ST, or an active fragment thereof, under conditions that allow addition of a sulfate to a GlcNAc acceptor molecule, where the corneal GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. In one embodiment, the acceptor molecule is modified to produce sulfated keratan sulfate immunoreactive with antibody 5D4. A corneal GlcNAc6ST useful for modifying an acceptor molecule according to a method of the invention can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of human GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2) or an active fragment thereof.

[0050] The term “acceptor molecule,” as used herein, means a molecule that is acted upon, or “modified,” by a protein having sulfotransferase activity. Thus, an acceptor molecule is a molecule that accepts the transfer of a sulfate. An acceptor molecule can be in substantially pure form or in an impure form such as in a host cell or cellular extract, and, furthermore, can be a naturally occurring molecule or a completely or partially synthesized molecule. One skilled in the art understands that an acceptor molecule can contain one or more sugar residues prior to modification and can be further modified, if desired, to contain additional sugar residues. An acceptor molecule useful in the invention can contain, for example, the keratan sulfate core structure (Galβ1→4GalNAc→R). An exemplary acceptor molecule is keratan sulfate I.

[0051] The present invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a corneal GlcNAc6ST or an active fragment thereof that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. An isolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention can encode, for example, a corneal GlcNAc6ST that has substantially the amino acid sequence of human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2) and can be, for example, SEQ ID NO: 1 or a portion thereof. The sulfated keratan sulfate formed by the catalytic activity of the encoded corneal GlcNAc6ST can be immunoreactive with the antibody 5D4 or can be hydrolyzable by keratanase. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the invention encodes an active fragment that has substantially the amino acid sequence of a portion of a corneal GlcNAc6ST and that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate, provided that the fragment is not EST AI814200 or a segment thereof. The invention further provides vectors and related host cells that contain a nucleic acid molecule encoding a corneal GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. In one embodiment, such a vector is a mammalian expression vector.

[0052] As used herein, the term “nucleic acid molecule” means any polymer of two or more nucleotides, which are linked by a covalent bond such as a phosphodiester bond, a thioester bond, or any of various other bonds known in the art as useful and effective for linking nucleotides. Such nucleic acid molecules can be linear, circular or supercoiled, and can be single stranded or double stranded. Such molecules can be, for example, DNA or RNA, or a DNA/RNA hybrid.

[0053] A sense or antisense nucleic acid molecule or oligonucleotide of the invention also can contain one or more nucleic acid analogs. Nucleoside analogs or phosphothioate bonds protect against degradation by nucleases are particularly useful in a nucleic acid molecule or oligonucleotide of the invention. A ribonucleotide containing a 2-methyl group, instead of the normal hydroxyl group, bonded to the 2′-carbon atom of ribose residues, is an example of a non-naturally occurring RNA molecule that is resistant to enzymatic and chemical degradation. Other examples of non-naturally occurring organic molecules include RNA containing 2′-aminopyrimidines, such RNA being 1000× more stable in human serum as compared to naturally occurring RNA (see Lin et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 22:5229-5234 (1994); and Jellinek et al., Biochemistry 34:11363-11372 (1995)).

[0054] Additional nucleotide analogs also are well known in the art. For example, RNA molecules containing 2′-O-methylpurine substitutions on the ribose residues and short phosphorothioate caps at the 3′- and 5′-ends exhibit enhanced resistance to nucleases (Green et al., Chem. Biol. 2:683-695 (1995)). Similarly, RNA containing 2′-amino-2′-deoxypyrimidines or 2′-fluro-2′-deoxypyrimidines is less susceptible to nuclease activity (Pagratis et al., Nature Biotechnol. 15:68-73 (1997)). Furthermore, L-RNA, which is a stereoisomer of naturally occurring D-RNA, is resistant to nuclease activity (Nolte et al., Nature Biotechnol. 14:1116-1119 (1996)); Klobmann et al., Nature Biotechnol. 14:1112-1115 (1996)). Such RNA molecules and methods of producing them are well known and routine in the art (see Eaton and Piekern, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 64:837-863 (1995)). DNA molecules containing phosphorothioate linked oligodeoxynucleotides are nuclease resistant (Reed et al., Cancer Res. 50:6565-6570 (1990)). Phosphorothioate-3′ hydroxypropylamine modification of the phosphodiester bond also reduces the susceptibility of a DNA molecule to nuclease degradation (see Tam et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 22:977-986 (1994)). Furthermore, thymidine can be replaced with 5-(1-pentynyl)-2′-deoxoridine (Latham et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 22:2817-2822 (1994)). It is understood that nucleic acid molecules, including antisense molecules and oligonucleotides, containing one or more nucleotide analogs or modified linkages are encompassed by the invention.

[0055] The invention also provides vectors which contain a nucleic acid molecule encoding a corneal GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof which catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate. Such vectors, which can be cloning vectors or expression vectors, provide a means to transfer an exogenous nucleic acid molecule into a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell. Contemplated vectors include those derived from a virus, such as a bacteriophage, a baculovirus or a retrovirus, and vectors derived from bacteria or a combination of bacterial and viral sequences, such as a cosmid or a plasmid. The vectors of the invention can advantageously be used to clone or express a corneal GlcNAc6ST or an active fragment thereof. Various vectors and methods for introducing such vectors into a host cell are described, for example, in Ausubel et al., supra, 2000.

[0056] In addition to containing a nucleic acid molecule encoding a corneal GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof, a vector of the invention also can contain, if desired, one or more of the following elements: an oligonucleotide encoding, for example, a termination codon or a transcription or translation regulatory element; one or more selectable marker genes, such as an ampicillin, tetracycline, neomycin, hygromycin or zeomycin resistance gene, which is useful for selecting stable transfectants in mammalian cells; one or more enhancer or promoter sequences, which can be obtained, for example, from a viral, bacterial or mammalian gene; transcription termination and RNA processing signals, which are obtained from a gene or a virus such as SV40; an origin of replication such as an SV40, polyoma or E. coli origin of replication; versatile multiple cloning sites; and one or more RNA promoters such as a T7 or SP6 promoter, which allow for in vitro transcription of sense and antisense RNA.

[0057] In one embodiment, a vector of the invention is an expression vector. Expression vectors are well known in the art and provide a means to transfer and express an exogenous nucleic acid molecule in a host cell. Contemplated expression vectors include vectors that provide for expression in a host cell such as a bacterial cell, yeast cell, insect cell, frog cell, mammalian cell or other animal cell. Such expression vectors include regulatory elements specifically required for expression of the DNA in a cell, the elements being located relative to the nucleic acid molecule encoding the corneal GlcNAc6ST so as to permit expression thereof. The regulatory elements can be chosen to provide constitutive expression or, if desired, inducible or cell type-specific expression. Regulatory elements required for expression have been described above and include transcription and translation start sites and termination sites. Such sites permit binding, for example, of RNA polymerase and ribosome subunits. A bacterial expression vector can include, for example, an RNA transcription promoter such as the lac promoter, a Shine-Delgarno sequence and an initiator AUG codon in the proper frame to allow translation of an amino acid sequence.

[0058] Mammalian expression vectors can be particularly useful and can include, for example, a heterologous or homologous RNA transcription promoter for RNA polymerase binding, a polyadenylation signal located downstream of the coding sequence, an AUG start codon in the appropriate frame and a termination codon to direct detachment of a ribosome following translation of the transcribed mRNA. Commercially available mammalian expression vectors include pSI, which contains the SV40 enhancer/promoter (Promega; Madison, Wis.); pTarget™ and pCI, which each contain the cytomegalovirus (CMV) enhancer/promoter (Promega); pcDNA3.1, a CMV expression vector (Invitrogen; Carlsbad, Calif.); and pRc/RSV, which contains Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) enhancer/promoter sequences (Invitrogen). In addition to these constitutive mammalian expression vectors, inducible expression systems are available, including, for example, an ecdysone-inducible mammalian expression system such as pIND and pVgRXR from Invitrogen. These and other mammalian expression vectors are commercially available or can be assembled by those skilled in the art using well known methods. An example of a eukaryotic expression vector of the invention is -pcDNA3.1, described in Example VI below.

[0059] The invention also provides a host cell containing a vector that includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a corneal GlcNAc6ST or an active fragment thereof. Such a host cell can be used to replicate the vector and, if desired, to express and isolate substantially pure recombinant corneal GlcNAc6ST using well known biochemical procedures (see Ausubel, supra, 2000). In addition, a host cell of the invention can be used in an in vitro or in vivo method to transfer sulfate to an acceptor molecule such as keratan sulfate.

[0060] Host cells expressing a corneal GlcNAc6ST or an active fragment thereof also can be used to screen for agents that increase the expression or activity of a corneal GlcNAc6ST or to screen for selective inhibitors of a corneal GlcNAc6ST of the invention. Agents that increase expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST can be administered to a subject to prevent or treat a condition resulting from a deficiency of sulfated keratan sulfate such as macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II.

[0061] Examples of host cells useful in the invention include bacterial, yeast, frog and mammalian cells. Various mammalian cells useful as host cells include, for example, mouse NIH/3T3 cells, CHO cells, COS cells and HeLa cells. In addition, mammalian cells obtained, for example, from a primary explant culture are useful as host cells. In one embodiment, the primary, explanted cells are corneal cells. Primary, explanted host cells such as corneal cells can be obtained from a subject for the purpose of introducing into these cells in vitro an expression vector as described above. Additional host cells include non-human mammalian embryonic stem cells, fertilized eggs and embryos, which can be routinely used to generate transgenic animals, such as mice, which express the novel corneal GlcNAc6ST of the invention. Transgenic mice expressing corneal GlcNAc6ST can be used, for example, to screen for compounds that enhance or inhibit the sulfotransferase expression or activity of this enzyme. Methods for introducing a vector into a host cell include electroporation, microinjection, calcium phosphate, DEAE-dextran and lipofection methods well known in the art (see, for example, Ausubel, supra, 2000).

[0062] Also provided herein is an oligonucleotide that contains a nucleotide sequence having at least 10 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 38, or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto, provided that the oligonucleotide sequence does not consist of a sequence of GenBank accession number AI824100. An oligonucleotide of the invention can have, for example, at least 15 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 38 or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto.

[0063] Oligonucleotides of the invention can advantageously be used, for example, as primers for PCR or sequencing, as probes for diagnostic and other assays, and in therapeutic methods. An oligonucleotide of the invention can incorporate, if desired, a detectable moiety such as a radiolabel, fluorochrome, luminescent tag, ferromagnetic substance, or a detectable agent such as biotin, and can be useful, for example, for detecting mRNA expression of a corneal GlcNAc6ST in a cell or tissue and for Southern analysis, for example, to detect large chromosomal deletions or rearrangements (see below). Those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate length of a corneal GlcNAc6ST oligonucleotide for a particular application. An oligonucleotide of the invention contains a nucleotide sequence having, for example, at least, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 100 or 200 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 38, or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto.

[0064] The invention also provides an isolated antisense nucleic acid molecule which contains a nucleotide sequence that specifically binds to SEQ ID NO: 1 or 38. Such an isolated antisense nucleic acid molecule can have, for example, at least 20 nucleotides complementary to SEQ ID NO: 1 or 38. In one embodiment, an isolated antisense nucleic acid molecule has at least 20 nucleotides complementary to SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 38 and contains a nucleotide sequence complementary to the sequence ATG.

[0065] An antisense nucleic acid molecule of the invention specifically binds to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or 38. An antisense nucleic acid molecule that “specifically binds” SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 38, binds with substantially higher affinity to that particular nucleotide sequence than to an unrelated nucleotide sequence.

[0066] As disclosed herein, restriction fragment polymorphism and nucleotide sequence analysis have revealed mutations in the coding region of corneal GlcNAc6ST in patients with type I macular corneal dystrophy (FIG. 5 and Table 1). Furthermore, polymerase chain reaction experiments and Southern blotting analyses have shown that patients with type II macular corneal dystrophy have altered or deleted regions upstream of the gene encoding corneal GlcNAc6ST (FIG. 6 and Table 1). As further disclosed herein, when human corneal GlcNAc6ST and murine intestinal GlcNAc6ST were expressed in HeLa cells, sulfated keratan sulfate was produced, as determined the antibody 5D4, which is specific for sulfated keratan sulfate (see Table 2). These results indicate that increased expression of activity of a GlcNAc6ST such that sulfated keratan sulfate is produced can correct the biochemical deficiency that causes macular corneal dystrophy and can, therefore, be useful in preventing and treating this disorder.

[0067] Thus, the invention provides a method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy by administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that increases the expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST, whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of the subject is elevated. The macular corneal dystrophy to be treated according to a method of the invention can be, for example, macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II. In one embodiment, the expression or activity of endogenous GlcNAc6ST is elevated. In another embodiment, the expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST is elevated using a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a GlcNAc6ST or an active fragment thereof that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. Such a GlcNAc6ST can be, for example, a corneal GlcNAc6ST, for example, a human corneal GlcNAc6ST having, substantially the amino acid sequence of human GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2), or another corneal or noncorneal GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. In a further embodiment, the agent is a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide, or active fragment thereof, that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. Such an GlcNAc6ST polypeptide can be, for example, a murine GlcNAc6ST, a human GlcNAc6ST or a corneal GlcNAc6ST and can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2). In yet a further embodiment, an agent useful for treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy according to a method of the invention increases the transcription of a GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate, and can, for example, selectively increase transcription of a GlcNAc6ST in the cornea of the subject.

[0068] The invention also provides a method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy by administering in vitro to primary, explanted corneal cells an effective amount of an agent that increases the expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST. The cells are subsequently introduced into the cornea of the subject, whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in a subject is elevated.

[0069] As used herein, the term “macular corneal dystrophy” means a disease characterized by the progressive formation of punctate opacities in the cornea and by a partial or complete deficiency of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea. The term macular corneal dystrophy encompasses both type I and type II forms of the disease.

[0070] The term “subject,” as used herein, refers to any animal, preferably a mammal such as a human, having corneal tissue that normally contains sulfated keratan sulfate.

[0071] The term “agent that increases expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST” means an agent, which when administered to a subject having defective or deficient GlcNAc6ST activity in the cornea or to corneal cells having defective or deficient GlcNAc6ST activity in the cornea, increases the sulfotransferase activity of a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide in comparison with an untreated subject or untreated cells, such that the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of the subject or in the corneal cells is elevated. It is understood that the term “increased,” as used herein, encompasses wild-type or higher levels of expression of activity of a GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate, as well as protein expression or activity that is enhanced relative to expression or activity in an untreated subject but falls below wild-type levels.

[0072] As set forth above, a N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase or GlcNAc6ST useful in the invention is an enzyme that catalyzes the addition of a sulfate ester to keratan sulfate when expressed in cornea and, preferably, is an enzyme that catalyzes the addition of a sulfate ester to carbon 6 of N-acetylglucosamine of keratan sulfate I in cornea. For example, both human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2) and murine intestinal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 5) are GlcNAc6STs as defined herein, since these proteins, when transfected in HeLa cells, produce sulfated keratan sulfate detectable with 5D4 antibody. As further set forth above, a GlcNAc6ST useful in a method of the invention generally has at least 50% amino acid sequence identity to human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2), and can have 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80% or more % sequence identity to human GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2). “Corneal” GlcNAc6STs are a subset of GlcNAc6STs, which have at least 90% amino acid identity with human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2).

[0073] A variety of means can be used to administer an agent according to a method of the invention. In a method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy, an agent can be administered, for example, intravenously or intramuscularly or by ballistic gun; microinjection; electroporation; ingestion; inhalation; absorption such as absorption through the skin, cornea or tear duct; or by any other method of administration known in the art. In one embodiment, an agent is administered by injection into the cornea of a subject. One skilled in the art understands that a preferred method of administration depends, in part, on the type of agent to be administered.

[0074] An agent that increases GlcNAc6ST expression or activity is administered to a subject in an effective amount. The term “effective amount,” as used herein in regard to an agent that increases expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST, means an amount of the agent that elevates the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of the subject, and preferably results in an amount of sulfated keratan sulfate that reduces or prevents formation of opacities in the cornea. An increase in sulfated keratan sulfate can be measured by one of a variety of routine assays known to one of skill in the art as disclosed herein in Examples III and VI. Such assays include histochemical staining using antibody specific for sulfated keratan sulfate, hexosamine sugar analysis, sensitivity to keratanase digestion, and the like. Reduced formation of opacities in cornea can be determined using methods available to those of skill in the art, such as light and electron microscopic analyses.

[0075] An effective amount of an agent to be used in the methods of the invention depends, in part, on the chemical and biological properties of the agent and the method of administration. Exemplary concentration ranges useful in the invention include 10 μg/ml to 500 mg/ml, 100 μg/ml to 250 mg/ml, and 1 mg/ml to 200 mg/ml.

[0076] In a method of the invention for treating macular corneal dystrophy, an effective amount of the agent can be administered as a single dose or as multiple doses. Multiple doses can be administered using a regular, periodic dose schedule such as one administration per day, or weekly or monthly. Symptomatic administration, where an effective amount is administered upon clinical determination of disease progression or upon experiencing deterioration of vision, also can be useful in a method of the invention.

[0077] A method of the invention can be practiced with one of a variety of agents that increase expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST, which can be a corneal GlcNAc6ST such as human corneal GlcNAc6ST or another, non-corneal GlcNAc6ST. As used herein, the term “agent” means an inorganic or organic molecule such as a drug; a peptide, or a variant or modified peptide or a peptide-like molecule such as a peptidomimetic or peptoid; or a polypeptide such as a GlcNAc6ST, or an active fragment of a GlcNAc6ST; an antibody or active fragment thereof such as an Fv, Fd or Fab fragment or another fragment that contains a binding domain; a nucleic acid molecule which can encode, for example, a GlcNAc6ST such as human corneal GlcNAc6ST, and can be incorporated, if desired, into a vector such as one of the plasmid, phage or other vectors described herein; or a cell into which has been introduced a vector for expressing a polypeptide such as a GlcNAc6ST or an active fragment thereof. Exemplary agents include a co-factor or a sulfate-donating compound that increases the sulfotransferase activity of a mutant GlcNAc6ST variant such as a variant of human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:2), murine GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO:5) or another mammalian or primate corneal GlcNAc6ST; or a vector containing a nucleic acid encoding a GlcNAc6ST; a transcription factor that binds the mutated upstream region of the CHST6 gene and increases GlcNAc6ST expression, a transcription factor that increases expression of weakly active mutant GlcNAc6ST; or a vector containing a transcription factor that increases GlcNAc6ST expression.

[0078] If desired, an agent can be combined with, or dissolved in, an acceptable carrier, which can facilitate uptake of the agent by the subject. Such a carrier can be, for example, DMSO or ethanol, or an aqueous solvent such as water or a buffered aqueous solution. Other acceptable carriers include standard pharmaceutical carriers, such as phosphate buffered saline solution, water and emulsions such as an oil/water or water/oil emulsion, and various types of wetting agents.

[0079] In one embodiment of the invention, an agent that increases the expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST is a nucleic acid molecule. A nucleic acid molecule can encode a polypeptide that increases the expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST. For example, a nucleic acid molecule encoding a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide will, when expressed, increase the expression of GlcNAc6ST. An exemplary polypeptide is a GlcNAc6ST that is naturally expressed in cornea, such as the GlcNAc6ST of SEQ ID NO:2 or murine GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 5). One of skill in the art will recognize that the high degree of homology between the human and murine GlcNAc6ST expressed in cornea demonstrates that GlcNAc6ST from a variety of mammals also can be useful in the methods of the invention. A mammalian GlcNAc6ST useful in the invention can be identified by routine methods, for example, by preparing a corneal cDNA library from a mammal of interest, hybridizing with a probe such as an oligonucleotide that specifically binds a GlcNAc6ST; and amplifying a GlcNAc6ST-encoding cDNA.

[0080] In one embodiment, the expression or activity of endogenous GlcNAc6ST is elevated. As used herein, an “endogenous” GlcNAc6ST means a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide that is expressed from a gene natively present in the subject.

[0081] An agent useful in the invention can be a nucleic acid molecule that increases the transcription of GlcNAc6ST. For example, a nucleic acid molecule useful in the invention can encode a transcription factor that increases the transcription of GlcNAc6ST. As another example, a nucleic acid molecule can contain an upstream regulatory sequence that, when present in a cell, increases transcription of GlcNAc6ST, for example, by competing for a factor that normally inhibits the endogenous GlcNAc6ST.

[0082] An agent useful for increasing the expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST can be identified using routine methods. For example, a cell that normally produces a control (low) level sulfated keratan sulfate, such as a HeLa cell, can be contacted with a candidate agent, and the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate assayed, for example, by immunoreactivity with the 5D4 antibody (see Example VI). A candidate agent that elevates the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the HeLa cell is an agent that increases expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST useful for treating macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II.

[0083] Treatment of a subject with macular corneal dystrophy by administration of a nucleic acid molecule can be carried out using the above-described methods of administration, and can be accompanied by a compound that facilitates transfection into cells, including calcium phosphate, DEAE dextran, cationic lipids, liposomes, polylysine, or the like. Further, a nucleic acid molecule can be administered, if desired, in a viral vector, which can facilitate transfection into cells and can also improve tissue specificity, reduce death of transformed cells, and the like. These and additional methods of administering a nucleic acid molecule to a subject are known in the art as described, for example, in Chang (Ed.), Somatic Gene Therapy CRC Press, Inc. (1994).

[0084] Viral vectors that can be used in the administration of a nucleic acid molecule that increases expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST into a subject or corneal cell. Such viral vectors include, for example, Herpes simplex virus vectors, vaccinia virus vectors, cytomegalovirus vectors, Moloney murine leukemia virus vectors, adenovirus vectors, lentivirus vectors, adeno-associated virus vectors, retrovirus vectors, and the like. Especially preferred viral vectors are adenovirus and retroviral vectors.

[0085] In one embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule is administered to the cornea of the subject. Administration of a nucleic acid molecule to cornea can be carried out using one of numerous methods well known in the art of gene therapy, including ballistic gun delivery, lentiviral transformation, adenoviral transformation, cytomegaloviral transformation, microinjection and electroporation as described further below.

[0086] Ballistic gun delivery can be useful in the methods of the invention and can be performed, for example, as described in Tanelian et al., BioTechniques, 23:484-488 (1997), to achieve focal delivery and expression of a plasmid in corneal epithelium with high efficiency. In this method, 0.2-0.5 mg gold particles are coated with plasmid DNA, which is then delivered into cornea using a ballistic gun. The depth of delivery of the plasmid DNA is a function of the pressure of the gun, thus facilitating delivery of plasmid DNA to a desired depth in cornea.

[0087] Lentivirus also can be useful to administer a nucleic acid molecule in the methods of the invention. Cells can be transduced with lentivirus in vitro or in situ as described, for example, in Wang et al., Gene Therapy 7:196-200 (2000). Corneal endothelial cells, epithelial cells and stromal keratocytes in human cornea obtained after penetrating keratoplasty can be exposed to lentivirus encoding a nucleic acid molecule useful in the invention. Exposed cells can continue to express the encoded protein for at least 60 days after transduction.

[0088] Adenovirus has can be used to deliver a nucleic acid molecule to cornea in a method of the invention, for example, as described in Larkin et al., Transplantation 61:363-370 (1996), for expression of the encoded polypeptide such as a corneal GlcNAc6ST in endothelial cells. Adenovirus also can be used to administer a nucleic acid molecule to cornea in vivo after surgical removal of superficial epithelial cells from the cornea (U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,702).

[0089] Microinjection and electric pulse also can be used in the methods of the invention introduce cytomegalovirus and the plasmid expression vector pCH110 into cornea (Sakamoto et al., Hum. Gene Ther. 10:2551-2557 (1999), and Oshima et al., Gene Therapy 5:1347-1354 (1998)). Injection of virus or plasmid into the anterior chamber at the limbus, followed by electric pulses results in transduction of corneal endothelial cells.

[0090] In another embodiment of the invention, an agent that increases the expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST is administered to cells in vitro. Exemplary cells to which the agent can be administered include autographic or allographic stem cells, primary explanted corneal cells, allographic or xenographic corneal cells, as well as other cells that can be transplanted into cornea. In accordance with this embodiment, subsequent to administering the agent to the cells, the cells are introduced into the cornea of the subject to be treated. Alternatively, the cells can be in the form of a cornea graft, in which case the corneal graft is placed onto the eye of the subject subsequent to administering the agent to the corneal graft. Methods for placing the cells or corneal graft into the cornea or onto the eye of the subject are known in the art and include microinjection and established keratoplasty techniques.

[0091] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of treating a patient with macular corneal dystrophy can be carried out by administering a polypeptide as an agent that increases expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST. Such a polypeptide can be, for example, a transcription factor that increases the expression of GlcNAc6ST, or a GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof, where the GlcNAc6ST catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate. An exemplary polypeptide is a GlcNAc6ST that is naturally expressed in cornea, such as the human corneal GlcNAc6ST of SEQ ID NO:2 or murine GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 5). One of skill in the art will recognize that the high degree of homology between the human and murine GlcNAc6ST expressed in cornea demonstrates that a variety of mammalian GlcNAc6STs can be used in the methods of the invention.

[0092] It is understood that a method of the invention also can be used to prophylactically treat an individual susceptible to MCD type I or type II, but who has no symptoms of opacities, loss of vision or “ground-glass” appearance of the cornea. Such an individual may have, for example, one or more family members with MCD type I or type II and may therefore be at high risk of developing MCD in the future. Such an individual may be determined to have mutations in one or both copies of the corneal GlcNAc6ST gene, CHST6, which may be known or suspected to result in decreased expression or activity of corneal GlcNAc6ST.

[0093] A method of the invention can also be used to prevent other conditions characterized by a deficiency of normal sulfated keratan sulfate. One of skill in the art will recognize that patients with mutations that lower the expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST in tissues such as cartilage in addition to cornea, for example, MCD type I patients, may develop a condition arising from absent or lowered amounts of sulfated keratan sulfate in cartilage or serum, for example, arthritis.

[0094] The results disclosed herein also provide the basis for a method of monitoring therapeutic efficacy in a subject being treated for macular corneal dystrophy. The method includes the steps of obtaining a test sample from the subject, determining a sample level of expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST in the test sample and comparing the sample level to a reference level from the subject, where an increase in the sample level relative to the reference level is indicative of productive therapy.

[0095] As used in the context of a course of therapy, “productive therapy” refers to the ability of the therapy to prevent, decrease or stop progression of opacities in cornea. Such a method has particular utility when the pre-therapeutic level of GlcNAc6ST expression in the cornea of a subject is below that of an individual that does not have macular corneal dystrophy. Comparison of the sample level to a reference level from the subject thereby serves to indicate whether the therapy is efficacious or not.

[0096] A sample level of GlcNAc6ST expression can be determined using one of a variety of types of samples, such as a serum sample, a cartilage sample or a corneal sample. The level of GlcNAc6ST expression can be determined, for example, by measuring the amount of GlcNAc6ST-encoding mRNA or GlcNAc6ST polypeptide present in the sample. Methods for measuring RNA or polypeptide expression are well known in the art, and include, for example, measuring the GlcNAc6ST mRNA level using a nucleic acid molecule that specifically hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence such as SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 38, and measuring the GlcNAc6ST polypeptide level using an antibody that specifically binds GlcNAc6ST. The methods of the invention also can be practiced by determining the level of GlcNAc6ST activity in a sample, which is carried out by measuring the formation of product, sulfated keratan sulfate. Sulfated keratan sulfate can be measured using one of a variety of methods known in the art such as an immunoassay using an antibody specific for sulfated keratan sulfate such as 5D4, hexosamine sugar analysis, sensitivity to keratanase digestion, and the like. Additionally, the activity of GlcNAc6ST can be determined using a known detectable sulfate donor analog or a known detectable sulfate acceptor analog, where GlcNAc6-sulfotransferase activity is determined using a known method such as HPLC, absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, or the like. Donor and acceptor analogs are known in the art and are commercially available from sources such as Sigma (St. Louis, Mo.).

[0097] In a method of the invention for monitoring therapeutic efficacy, a sample level is compared to a reference level from the same subject. As used herein, a “reference level” means a level of expression or activity of GlcNAc6ST obtained using the same assay used to obtain the “sample level” in a sample obtained from the same subject at an earlier time point than the test sample. Such a reference level of GlcNAc6ST expression or activity can be, for example, the pre-therapeutic level in the subject undergoing therapy, or a level at an earlier stage of therapy. It is understood that, preferably, the reference level of expression or activity is determined using the same or similar assay as used to analyze the test sample and that, for example, a test RNA level is compared to a reference RNA level, a test protein level is compared to a reference protein level, and a test level of GlcNAc6ST activity is compared to a reference level of GlcNAc6ST activity.

[0098] In another embodiment, a reference level can be determined as a function of the level observed in normal or unaffected individuals. Specifically, normal individuals expressing two copies of active C-GlcNAc6ST will have a certain level of activity; a reference level can be a level at least 50% of that of normal individuals, thus corresponding to a level of an individual expressing one copy of active C-GlcNAc6ST.

[0099] A method of the invention for monitoring therapeutic efficacy can be particularly useful when combined with a method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy by administering an effective amount of an agent that increases the expression or activity of a GlcNAc6ST. Specifically, therapeutic efficacy of the agent can be monitored by obtaining a test sample from the subject, determining a sample level of GlcNAc6ST expression or activity in the test sample, and comparing this level to a reference level. Therapeutic efficacy is monitored on one or more occasions as desired.

[0100] The present invention also provides a method for diagnosing macular corneal dystrophy in an individual. The method includes the steps of determining a level of GlcNAc6ST expression or activity in a test sample from the individual and comparing the sample level to a control level, where a sample level significantly lower than the control level is diagnostic of macular corneal dystrophy. In one embodiment, a sample level is determined using a nucleic acid that specifically hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence such as SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 38. In another embodiment, a sample level is determined using an antibody that specifically binds GlcNAc6ST. One skilled in the art understands that a method of the invention for diagnosing macular corneal dystrophy can be used alone or can be used in conjunction with other methods of diagnosing or determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy.

[0101] As referred to herein in regard to diagnosing macular corneal dystrophy, a “control level” means a level of GlcNAc6ST RNA or protein or a level of GlcNAc6ST activity in an unaffected individual from a family in which there is no past or present history of macular corneal dystrophy. It is understood that a control level can be a range of the values found in a population of unaffected individuals. One of skill in the art will recognize that the appropriate control level corresponds to the same species as the individual to be diagnosed and is of the same sample type, assayed under the same conditions.

[0102] The present invention also provides genetic methods of determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy in an individual. These genetic methods are practiced by determining the presence or absence in an individual of a MCD-associated allele linked to a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) locus, where the presence of the MCD-associated allele indicates susceptibility to MCD in the individual. Such a method can be useful, for example, for determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II. In one embodiment, the MCD-associated allele is located within a corneal GlcNAc6ST gene, for example, within a corneal GlcNAc6ST coding region such as within the region coding the 3′-phosphate binding domain of corneal GlcNAc6ST. Such a MCD-associated allele can be, for example, a deletion, insertion or substitution in a GlcNAc6ST coding region. In another embodiment, the MCD-associated allele is within a corneal GlcNAc6ST 5′ regulatory region, and can be, for example, a replacement of a 5′ region of CHST6 with a 5′ region of CHST5 or a deletion of a 5′ region of CHST6.

[0103] As used herein, the term “corneal N-acetyglucosamine-6-sulfotrasferase locus” is synonymous with “corneal GlcNAc6ST locus” and means the chromosomal segment encoding a corneal GlcNAc6ST as defined hereinabove. In a human, the corneal GlcNAc6ST locus is CHST6.

[0104] A method of the invention for determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy relies on a MCD-associated allele. As used herein, the term “MCD-associated allele” means a stably heritable molecular variation that tends to be inherited together with macular corneal dystrophy more often than would be expected according to traditional Mendelian genetics. A MCD-associated allele can be, for example, an allele linked to but outside of a corneal GlcNAc6ST gene, or can be within a corneal GlcNAc6ST gene itself, such as an allele in an upstream or downstream regulatory region, or an allele within a corneal GlcNAc6ST coding sequence (see Examples).

[0105] A MCD-associated allele useful in a method of the invention can be, for example, an insertion, deletion, rearrangement, single nucleotide polymorphism (snp), a microsatellite (ms) or a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism that tends to be inherited together macular corneal dystrophy type I or type II. A MCD-associated allele can be located in a coding or non-coding region of genomic DNA and may or may not affect corneal GlcNAc6ST expression or activity. When present in a coding region, an allele can be, for example, an insertion, deletion, missense mutation or frame-shift mutation. As disclosed herein in Example IV, nucleotide sequencing and PCR/restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses were used to identity several MCD-associated alleles. One MCD type I patient had a deletion of the entire coding region of CHST6; another patient had a 2-nucleotide insertion causing a frameshift at nucleotide 1106 of SEQ ID NO:1; and additional patients had a variety of missense mutations in the coding region of corneal GlcNAc6ST: 1213A→G, 1301C→A, 1512G→A, 1323C→T, and 840C→A. The missense mutation 1213A→G produces the amino acid substitution K174R; 1301C→A produces the amino acid substitution D203E; 1512G→A produces the amino acid substitution E274K; 1323C→T produces the amino acid substitution R211W; and 840C→A produces the amino acid substitution R50C. Expression in HeLa cells of corneal GlcNAc6ST variants containing the MCD-associated allele K174R, D203E, R211W or E274K resulted in little or no ability to catalyze sulfation of keratan sulfate, in contrast to expression of wild type corneal GlcNAc6ST (Table 2).

[0106] As further disclosed herein in Example V, a MCD-associated allele also can be located in a non-coding region such as a 5′ or 3′ regulatory region. Using polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analyses, an altered 5′ regulatory sequence was detected in several MCD type II patients (see Example V). As disclosed herein, a MCD-associated allele that is associated with type II MCD can be, for example, an altered 5′ regulatory region having replaced sequence corresponding to the 5′ regulatory region of the proximal CHST5 gene (FIG. 6B and 6C). Other MCD type II patients had a large region deleted, where this region includes most of the CHST5 gene and the upstream region of CHST6 (FIG. 6D). In situ hybridization of corneal tissue from a MCD type II patient using a nucleotide specific for CHST6 showed no expression in corneal epithelial cells (FIG. 4). These results demonstrate that a MCD-associated allele which is associated with type II MCD can be present in a regulatory region of CHST6 and can reduce or prevent transcription of this gene.

[0107] A MCD-associated allele within a corneal GlcNAc6ST gene can result, for example, in production of a less active or inactive corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide or a reduced amount of a GlcNAc6ST polypeptide. A MCD-associated allele within a GlcNAc6ST gene can be located, for example, in an intron or in a 5′ or 3′ regulatory sequence and can influence the regulation of transcription or translation or splicing of a corneal GlcNAc6ST-encoding mRNA. Such an allele can, therefore, result in a change in corneal GlcNAc6ST gene expression level or expression of corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide variant. Where a MCD-associated allele is a nucleotide modification that results in one or more amino acid substitutions, deletions or insertions in a corneal GlcNAc6ST coding sequence and produces a variant corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide, such a variant may lack the ability to catalyze sulfation of keratan sulfate. For example, as disclosed herein in Example VI, a single amino acid substitution such as 50R→C, 174K→R, 203D→E, 211R→W, 217A→T and 274E→K results in a variant corneal GlcNAc6ST polypeptide that does not catalyze sulfation of keratan sulfate when expressed in HeLa cells (Table 2).

[0108] MCD is generally an autosomal recessive disorder, and, therefore, MCD will be correlated with the presence of a MCD-associated allele in both copies of the genomic DNA of an individual. As disclosed herein, affected individuals were either homozygous for a MCD-associated allele or were heterozygous for two different MCD-associated alleles (Table 1). In contrast, siblings of the affected individuals had only a single MCD-associated allele did not have symptoms of MCD (see, for example, FIG. 6C and 6D).

[0109] The presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele can be determined using one of a variety of molecular genotyping methods well known in the art. Such an allele can be detected, for example, by the genotyping methods disclosed herein in Examples IV and V, which disclose assays for determining the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele such as DNA sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and Southern blot analysis. Additional assays that can be used to detect a MCD-associated allele include electrophoresis-based methods, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization, heteroduplex mobility assays, single strand conformational polymorphism analyses, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, cleavase fragment length polymorphism analyses and rolling circle amplification. One skilled in the art understands that sequence analysis and electrophoresis-based methods such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis or heteroduplex mobility assays are particularly useful for determining the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele. See, in general, Birren et al. (Eds.) Genome Analysis: A Laboratory Manual Volume 1 (Analyzing DNA) New York, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1997) and Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology Chapter 2 (Supplement 49) John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York (2000)).

[0110] Sequence analysis can be particularly useful for determining the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele in a method of the invention. The term “sequence analysis,” as used herein in reference to one or more nucleic acids such as amplified fragments, refers to any manual or automated process by which the order of nucleotides in a nucleic acid is determined. It is understood that the term sequence analysis encompasses chemical (Maxam-Gilbert) and dideoxy enzymatic (Sanger) sequencing as well as variations thereof. Thus, the term sequence analysis includes capillary array DNA sequencing, which relies on capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection and can be performed using, for example, the MegaBACE 1000 or ABI 3700. Sequence analysis also can be carried out using gel electrophoresis and detection methods such as fluorescence detection, radionuclide detection, and the like. Gel electrophoresis can be performed using, for example, the ABI 377 DNA sequencer. Also encompassed by the term sequence analysis are thermal cycle sequencing (Sears et al., Biotechniques 13:626-633 (1992)); solid-phase sequencing (Zimmerman et al., Methods Mol. Cell Biol. 3:39-42 (1992) and sequencing with mass spectrometry such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry MALDI-TOF MS (Fu et al., Nature Biotech. 16: 381-384 (1998)). The term sequence analysis also includes, for example, sequencing by hybridization (SBH), which relies on an array of all possible short oligonucleotides to identify a segment of sequences present in an unknown DNA (Chee et al., Science 274:61-614 (1996); Drmanac et al., Science 260:1649-1652 (1993); and Drmanac et al., Nature Biotech. 16:54-58 (1998)). One skilled in the art understands that these and additional variations are encompassed by the term sequence analysis as defined herein. See, in general, Ausubel et al., supra, 2000; Chapter 7.

[0111] The presence of a MCD-associated allele also can be determined using electrophoretic analysis. Electrophoresis, including gel or capillary electrophoresis, can be useful in separating amplified fragments containing alleles that differ in size. The term “electrophoretic analysis” or “electrophoresing,” as used herein in reference to one or more nucleic acids such as amplified fragments, means a process whereby charged molecules are moved through a stationary medium under the influence of an electric field. Electrophoretic migration separates nucleic acids primarily on the basis of their charge, which is in proportion to their size, with smaller nucleic acids migrating more quickly. The term electrophoretic analysis or electrophoresing includes analysis using both slab gel electrophoresis, such as agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and capillary electrophoresis. Capillary electrophoretic analysis, which generally occurs inside a small diameter (50-100 μm) quartz capillary in the presence of high (kilovolt level) separating voltages with separation times of a few minutes, can be particularly useful in a method of the invention. Using capillary electrophoretic analysis, nucleic acids such as amplified fragments are conveniently detected by UV absorption or fluorescent labeling, and single-base resolution can be obtained on fragments up to several hundred base pairs. Such methods of electrophoretic analysis, and variants thereof, are well known in the art as described, for example, in Ausubel et al., supra, 2000.

[0112] Cleavase fragment length polymorphism analysis also can be useful in the methods of the invention. Cleavase is an enzyme that cleaves junctions between single- and double-stranded regions of DNA. The gel filtration migration pattern of a DNA sample after cleavase digestion can be unique for each variant of the DNA sample according to the number of single- and double-stranded regions, the equilibrium between single- and double-stranded regions of the DNA, and the number of nucleotides in each cleavage fragment. This unique pattern, or “bar code” can be used to rapidly genotype a nucleic acid sample according to its migration pattern (see, for example, Tondella et al. J. Clin. Microbiol., 37:2402-2407 (1999); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,719,028 and 5,846,717).

[0113] Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) also can be used to determine the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele in a method of the invention. In DGGE, double-stranded DNA is electrophoresed in a gel containing an increasing concentration of denaturant; double-stranded fragments made up of mismatched alleles have segments that melt more rapidly, causing such fragments to migrate differently as compared to perfectly complementary sequences (Sheffield et al., “Identifying DNA Polymorphisms by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis” in Innis et al., supra, 1990).

[0114] A heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) is another well known assay that can be used to determine the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele. HMA is useful for detecting the presence of a polymorphic sequence since a DNA duplex carrying a mismatch has reduced mobility in a polyacrylamide gel compared to the mobility of a perfectly base-paired duplex (Delwart et al., Science 262:1257-1261 (1993); White et al., Genomics 12:301-306 (1992)).

[0115] The technique of single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) also can be used to determine the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele in a method of the invention (see Hayashi, PCR Methods Applic. 1:34-38 (1991)). This technique can be used to detect mutations based on differences in the secondary structure of single-strand DNA that produce an altered electrophoretic mobility upon non-denaturing gel electrophoresis. Polymorphic fragments are detected by comparison of the electrophoretic pattern of the test fragment to corresponding standard fragments containing known alleles.

[0116] Allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization also can be used to determine the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele in a method of the invention. Allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization is based on the use of a labeled oligonucleotide probe having a sequence perfectly complementary, for example, to the nucleotides of a MCD-associated allele. Under appropriate conditions, the allele-specific probe hybridizes to a nucleic acid containing the MCD-associated allele but does not hybridize to one or more other alleles, which have one or more nucleotide mismatches as compared to the probe. If desired, a second allele-specific oligonucleotide probe that matches an alternate allele also can be used. Similarly, the technique of allele-specific oligonucleotide amplification can be used to selectively amplify, for example, a MCD-associated allele by using an allele-specific oligonucleotide primer that is perfectly complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the MCD-associated allele but which has one or more mismatches as compared to other alleles (Mullis et al. (Eds.), The Polymerase Chain Reaction, Birkhauser, Boston, (1994)). One skilled in the art understands that the one or more nucleotide mismatches that distinguish between the MCD-associated allele and one or more other alleles are preferably located in the center of an allele-specific oligonucleotide primer to be used in allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. In contrast, an allele-specific oligonucleotide primer to be used in PCR amplification preferably contains the one or more nucleotide mismatches that distinguish between the MCD-associated and other alleles at the 3′ end of the primer.

[0117] Rolling circle amplification also can be used to determine the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele in a method of the invention (Baner et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 26:5073-5078 (1998), and Lizardi et al., Nat. Genet. 19:225-232 (1998)). In rolling circle amplification, a linear probe is designed so that the 5′ and 3′ ends of the probe hybridize to immediately adjacent nucleotides in a specific nucleotide sequence. If the sample DNA has the specific sequence, the 5′ and 3′ ends are adjacent and the probe can be circularized using ligase. Sample DNA without the specific sequence will not result in the 5′ and 3′ ends hybridizing immediately adjacent one another, and therefore will not act as a successful template for circularization. The circularized probe can then be used in rolling circle replication to amplify the sequence prior to detection.

[0118] Other well-known approaches for determining the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele include automated sequencing and RNAase mismatch techniques (Winter et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 82:7575-7579 (1985)). Furthermore, one of skill in the art understands that amplification or cleavage methods described above also can be used in solid state methods, for example, using DNA microarrays for detection or as templates for enzymatic reactions (see Ausubel et al., supra, 2000). Similarly, mass spectroscopy can be used for the detection of cleavage or amplification products as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,043,031, 5,605,798, and 5,547,835. It is understood that the methods of the invention can be practiced using these or other art-recognized assays for detecting polymorphic alleles.

[0119] In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy in an individual by determining the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele linked to a GlcNAc6ST locus using enzymatic amplification of nucleic acid from the individual. In other embodiments, the presence or absence of a MCD-associated allele is determined by electrophoretic analysis, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, sequence analysis, or a combination of these techniques.

[0120] The following examples are intended to illustrate but not limit the present invention.

EXAMPLE I Identification of Corneal GlcNAc6ST

[0121] This example describes identification and isolation of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a human corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (C-GlcNAc6ST).

[0122] BLAST search of the GenBank EST database (Release 115.0) was carried out using the conserved regions of carbohydrate sulfotransferases corresponding to amino acids Ile¹⁴⁰ to Pro³⁰⁰ of HEC-GlcNAc6ST and Ala²²⁰ to Pro³⁰³ of GlcNAc6ST. Two candidate sequences were identified; the first, AI824100, is an EST derived from human lung squamous cell carcinoma, and the second is a recently reported human intestinal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase, also known as I-GlcNAc6ST or CHST5 (Lee et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 263:543-549 (1999)).

[0123] The Stanford G3 radiation hybrid panel (Research Genetics; Huntsville, Ala.) was used to map AI824100 and CHST5. PCR was carried out using primers ha115B6F (5′-AGAGCCGAAACCTGTCCGCC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 12) and ha115B6R (5′-GCGTAGAGTGCGCGGATCTCT-3′; SEQ ID NO: 13) to amplify CHST5, and CK71hF (5′-TATCTGCCTTGGCGCCGCAACCT-3′; SEQ ID NO: 14) and CK7lhR (5′-CCGTTGTCACGCGCCAGAGCCTT-3′; SEQ ID NO: 15) to amplify AI824100. PCR amplification was carried out in 10 μl reaction mixture containing 25 ng of hybrid cell DNA, 0.4 μM of each primer, 25 mM Tris-acetate pH 9.0, 50 mM potassium acetate, 1.25 mM magnesium acetate and 0.5 unit of polymerase mixture, which consists of 0.495 unit of AmpliTaq DNA polymerase (Perkin-Elmer; Foster City, Calif.) and 0.005 unit of Vent DNA polymerase (New England Biolabs; Beverly, Mass.). Amplification reactions were carried out by a PTC-100 Thermal Cycler (MJ Research; Watertown, Mass.) as follows: 2 minutes of denaturation at 96° C. prior to cycling; 35 cycles of denaturation at 96° C. for 30 seconds, annealing at 62° C. (for CHST5) and 65° C. (for AI824100) for 30 seconds, extension at 72° C. for 30 seconds; and a final extension at 72° C. for 5 minutes. Amplified DNA fragments were resolved by 0.7% agarose gel electrophoresis and detected on an UV transilluminator in the presence of ethidium bromide. Based on PCR amplification radiation hybrid scores, AI824100 and CHST5 were mapped between markers D16S3326 and D16S3016 on chromosome 16q22. Markers D16S3326 and D16S3016 lie between D16S3115 and D16S3083, a region previously shown to be linked MCD type I (FIG. 3A).

[0124] Full-length cDNA for AI824100 was isolated by 5′- and 3′-RACE reactions using human whole brain Marathon-ready cDNA (Clontech; Palo Alto, Calif.). Amplifications of the 5′- and 3′-regions were carried out according to the methods recommended by the manufacturer. The oligomers used as AI824100-specific primers for PCR were: CK71hR (SEQ IN NO: 15) for the first 5′-RACE, CK71h2R (5′-CGGGGAAAGGCACTGCAGGCGG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 16) for the second 5′-RACE, CK71hF for the first 3′-RACE, CK7lh2F (5′-CGACCCCGCGCTCAACCTACGCA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 17) for the second 3′-RACE. Amplified fragments were cloned into pBluescript II KS(+) (Stratagene; La Jolla, Calif.) and sequenced with an ABI377 DNA sequencer by using BigDye terminator kit (Perkin-Elmer).

EXAMPLE II Characterization of Human Corneal GlcNAc6ST

[0125] This example shows that the corneal GlcNAc6ST identified herein is homologous to and proximally located to the intestinal GlNAc6ST, CHST5.

[0126] The full length cDNA human corneal GlcNAc6ST is predicted to encode a membrane protein consisting of 395 amino acids. Multiple sequence alignment of this cDNA was performed using Clustal W version 1.7 (Thompson et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 22:4673-4680 (1994)) and I-GlcNAc6ST (human intestinal GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase; Lee et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 263:543-549 (1999)); HEC-GlcNAc6ST (human high-endothelial-cell GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase; Bistrup et al., J. Cell Biol., 145:899-910 (1999)); GlcNAc6ST (human GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase; Uchimura et al., J. Biochem., 124:670-678 (1998)); KSG6ST (human KS Gal-6-sulfotransferase; (Fukuta et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:32321-32328 (1997)); and Ch6ST (human chondroitin-6-sulfotransferase; Fukuta et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1399:57-61 (1998)). The alignment revealed that the novel cDNA was homologous to other carbohydrate sulfotransferases, particularly I-GlcNAc6ST (FIG. 3C). The coding sequences of the novel cDNA and I-GlcNAc6ST were 90.6% identical at the nucleotide levels and 89.2% identical in the amino acid sequences, indicating that the novel cDNA encodes a carbohydrate sulfotransferase. The novel gene was designated CHST6 (carbohydrate sulfotransferase 6) and its product as corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (C-GlcNAc6ST) in view of the expression of this transcript in cornea (see Example III).

[0127] BAC clone 483K2, which contains CHST6, was analyzed by PCR-based BAC screening (Research Genetics). BAC DNA was digested by restriction enzymes and the fragments were subcloned and sequenced as described in Example I. Sequencing analysis revealed that this gene is located about 30 kbp downstream of CHST5 in the same orientation (FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B). Both genes contain several introns in the 5′-untranslated region but do not contain introns in the coding region or the 3′-untranslated region. These two genes have regions that are highly homologous to each other not only in the coding region but also in the untranslated and upstream regions (FIG. 6A), indicating that CHST5 and CHST6 were created by gene duplication.

EXAMPLE III Expression of Human Corneal GlcNAc6ST IS Absent from the Corneal Epithelium of a Mcd Type II Patient

[0128] This example demonstrates that the expression pattern of CHST6 mRNA in the cornea corresponds to the presence of sulfated keratan sulfate, and that CHST6 is not detectably expressed in corneal epithelial cells of a MCD type II patient.

[0129] The expression profile of CHST6 mRNA and the presence of sulfated keratan sulfate (sulfated KS) were analyzed in normal human cornea by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry (FIG. 4A through FIG. 4L). CHST6-specific DNA was amplified by PCR using CK71h-F1858 (5′-CACGAGGCCTGAACGGCTTCAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 18) and CK71h-R1949 (5′-CGGGCCTAGCGCCTGCTACAAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 19). This amplicon was cloned into the SmaI site of pGEM3Zf(+) (Promega; Madison, Wis.) and used to prepare RNA probes by DIG RNA Labeling Kit (Boehringer Mannheim; Indianapolis, Ind.). In situ hybridization was performed as described in Kawakami et al., Cancer Res. 57:2321-2324 (1997). Immunohistochemical detection of sulfated KS was performed using anti-sulfated KS monoclonal antibody (5D4; Seikagaku Co., Falmouth, Mass.) by the indirect method as described in Shiozawa et al., Gynecol. Obstet. Invest. 32:239-242 (1991). Hematoxylin was used for counterstaining.

[0130] Strong staining for sulfated KS was detected along the apical surface of the corneal epithelial cells (FIG. 4B) and in the endothelial cells (FIG. 4D). Sulfated KS was also found in the stroma (FIG. 4C). CHST6 transcripts also were detected in the upper layer of the corneal epithelial cells (FIG. 4F), stromal cells (FIG. 4G), and endothelial cells (FIG. 4H). These results indicate that CHST6 expression correlates with the presence of sulfated KS in human cornea. Analysis of mRNA distribution in other organs revealed that CHST6 transcripts were expressed in the spinal cord and the trachea. This tissue distribution differs from that of CHST5, which is predominantly expressed in the small intestine and the colon (Lee et al., supra, 1999).

[0131] Expression levels of CHST6 transcripts in a cornea from an MCD type II patient (M01 in FIG. 4D) were also examined. In situ hybridization analysis showed that CHST6 was not expressed at detectable levels in the epithelial cells (FIG. 4Q), but was expressed at normal levels in the stromal cells (FIG. 4R). This signal distribution was consistent with the staining pattern of sulfated KS detected by immunohistochemistry (FIG. 4N and FIG. 40). These findings demonstrate that the lack of CHST6 expression in corneal epithelial cells correlates with an undetectable amount of normal keratan sulfate in the same cells and can lead to characteristic opacities in the cornea of MCD patients (Nakazawa et al., J. Biol. Chem., 259:13751-13757 (1984)).

EXAMPLE IV Mutations Associated with Mcd Type I

[0132] This example shows that MCD Type I occurs as a result of mutations that inactivate C-GlcNAc6ST.

[0133] Genomic PCR followed by direct-sequence analysis was carried out in searching for mutations in the coding regions of CHST6 of MCD patients and normal individuals. The coding region of CHST6 was amplified by PCR using the following primers: for the 5′-coding region, CK71h-intrn (5′-GCCCCTAACCGCTGCGCTCTC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 20) and Ck71h-R1180 (5′-GGCTTGCACACGGCCTCGCT-3′; SEQ ID NO: 21); for the middle coding region, CK71h-F1041 (5′-GACGTGTTTGATGCCTATCTGCCTTG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 22) and CK71h-R1674 (5′-CGGCGCGCACCAGGTCCA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 23); for the 3′-coding region, CK71h-F1355 (5′-CTCCCGGGAGCAGACAGCCAA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 24) and CK71h-R1953 (5′-CTCCCGGGCCTAGCGCCT-3′; SEQ ID NO: 25). Each PCR reaction was carried out in 25 μl according to the conditions described in Example I, with the exception of the cycled extension reaction lasting 45 seconds and the annealing temperatures changed to 55° C. for the middle coding region and 57° C. for the 5′- and 3′-coding regions. Amplified fragments were separated by electrophoresis in a 2% agarose gel, purified by QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen; Valencia, Calif.) and sequenced.

[0134] Mutations in the coding region of CHST6 (Table 1 and FIG. 5) were found in MCD type I patients. Four missense mutations identified in the patients' genomes were located at amino acid residues which are conserved among carbohydrate sulfotransferases (FIG. 3C). Two of these missense mutations, 203D→E and 211R→W, were located in the 3′-phosphate binding domain, which spans a Val¹⁹⁸ to Gln²¹³ and is important for sulfotransferase binding to adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS) as a sulfate donor (Kakuta et al., Nature Struct. Biol., 4:904-908 (1997), and Kakuta et al., Trends Biochem. Sci., 23:129-130 (1998)). None of these mutations were present in 81 normal individuals. One frame shift mutation and a deletion mutation which lacks the entire coding region of CHST6 were also found in MCD type I patients. All of the mutations for MCD type I patients described in Table 1 were present in the homozygous state. The mutations found in type I patients demonstrate a loss of C-GlcNAc6ST function. These results indicate that C-GlcNAc6ST is required for production of sulfated KS and that inactivation of this gene is responsible for the MCD type I phenotype. TABLE 1 Mutations of CHST6 identified in MCD patients Serum Same KS mutation in MCD Patient conc. Mutation control type ID (μg/ml) Family Mutation in DNA in protein chromosomes Note I TO <0.15 deletion of ORF 0/162 Consanguineous marriage I SK <0.15 2T insertion frameshift 0/162 Consanguineous after 1106T after 137A marriage I SY <0.15 1213A→G 174K→R 0/162 I TM <0.15 A 1301C→A 203D→E 0/162 Consanguineous marriage I M03 <0.15 1301C→A 203D→E 0/162 I MK <0.15 15120→A 274E→K 0/162 Consanguineous marriage I SS ND 1213A→G 174K→R 0/162 I M09 ND 1213A→G 174K→R 0/162 I KS ND A 1301C→A 203D→E 0/162 Consanguineous marriage I M08 ND 1323C→T 211R→W 0/162 II #7 5.43 B 840C→A 50R→A 0/162 Heterozygote of CHST6 II replacement of 5′ 0/162 by haplotype region analysis II #8 2.62 B 840C→A 50R→C 0/162 Heterozygote of CHST6 II replacement of 5′ 0/162 by haplotype region analysis II #48 2.73 B 840C→A 50R→C 0/162 Heterozygote of CHST6 II replacement of 5′ 0/162 by haplotype region analysis II #39 4.56 replacement of 5′ 0.162 region II #54 3.03 replacement of 5′ 0/162 region II M01 6.72 C deletion of 5′ 0/162 Consanguineous region marriage II M24 3.70 C deletion of 5′ 0/162 Consanguineous region marriage II M29 3.07 C deletion of 5′ 0/162 Consanguineous region marriage II M30 ND deletion of 5′ region

[0135] To detect point mutation C1301A, PCR-RFLP analysis was used. The region flanking each point mutation was amplified by PCR using primers RFLP1 (5′-TGCTCTACCCGCTGCTCAGCGAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 26) and RFLP2 (5′-CGGGAGCGCAGCACGGCCCCCGG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 27). PCR reactions were carried out as described in Example I, with the additional inclusion of a-³²P-dCTP in each reaction mixture and an annealing temperature of 57° C. After digestion with SmaI, amplified DNA fragments were separated on 15% polyacrylamide gels for 2 hours. The gel was stained by ethidium bromide and analyzed on an UV transilluminator.

EXAMPLE V Mutations Associated with Mcd Type II

[0136] This example shows that MCD type II is correlated with altered or missing regulatory sequences.

[0137] MCD type II patients differ from MCD type I patients by having a detectable amount of serum sulfated KS (Table 1). Sulfated KS concentration in normal and patient serum was determined by ELISA as described in Thonar et al., Am. J. Ophthalmol. 102:561-569 (1986) and Thonar et al., Arthritis Rheum. 28:1367-1376 (1985), using bovine corneal keratan sulfate (Sigma; Saint Louis, Mo.) as a standard. Human serum was diluted sequentially by PBST-pH5.3 (phosphate buffered saline containing 0.05% Tween 20 and adjusted at pH5.3 by HCl). One hundred μl of each diluted sample was mixed with diluted 5D4 anti-sulfated KS monoclonal antibody in PBST-pH5.3 containing 1% BSA. After 1 hour incubation at room temperature, mixtures were transferred to a 96-well microtiter plate precoated with chondroitinase ABC treated bovine cartilage proteoglycan, and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Each well was washed three times with PBST-pH5.3 and 200 μl of peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG antibody diluted with PBST-pH5.3 containing 1% BSA was added. After incubation for 1 hour at room temperature, each well was washed three times with PBST-pH5.3. Peroxidase activity was measured using 1-Step ABTS (Pierce; Rockford, Ill.). The green color developed was measured by an ELISA microtiter plate reader at 405 nm.

[0138] No homozygous mutations in the coding region of CHST6 were detected in MCD type II patients. To probe for non-coding mutations in MCD type II patients, Southern blot analysis was carried out. Three micrograms of genomic DNA from patients and unaffected individuals were digested by SpeI, electrophoresed in a 0.7% agarose gel, and blotted onto a Nytran Plus filter (Schleicher & Schuell; Keene, N.H.). DNA probes were made by PCR according to the conditions described in Example I, using primers A3L114 (5′-TGCCCCCAGAAAAGAATCAAA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 28) and BamL142 (5′-TCCTCCCAAGTCCCTTGGAG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 29). Amplified probes were purified by QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen) and labeled with a-³²P-dCTP using Prime-It RmT kit (Stratagene). The blotted filter was hybridized with the probe in ExpressHyb hybridization solution (Clontech), according to the methods recommended by the manufacturer. After washing with 1× SSC-0.1% SDS at 50° C. for 1 hour, the filter was exposed to X-ray film with an intensifying screen at −80° C. for 5 days.

[0139] Southern blot analyses indicated DNA rearrangements in the upstream region of CHST6. One rearrangement replaced a 2.5 kbp region located upstream of CHST6 exon 1, with a region that was originally located upstream of CHST5 exon 1 (FIG. 6A). Patients #39 and #54 had this replacement mutation in both alleles (FIG. 6B).

[0140] Genomic PCR analysis identified the junctions of this replacement mutation. Replacement mutations found in the upstream region 2 of CHST6 were detected by PCR using following primers: for the normal homologous region A, Fl (5′-CCACAGAAGGAAGGACAGAGTAAATGAA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 30) and R1 (5′-TTCCCTTTACTATTATAAAAATGCTGCTAATG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 31); for the replaced homologous region A, F1 and R1M (5′-TGCTGAATGGCTAACTGAAGGAATACTATAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 32); for the normal homologous region B, F2 (5′-CATATCCTGTCTGGCCTAAACCTTAGTTTAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 33) and R2 (5′-GGGCACAGACAGAGGGAAAAACC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 34); for the replaced homologous region B, F2M (5′-GGCCAAGTTCAGGTCAGCTTCCA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 35) and R2. The same reaction cycles were used as described in Example I, except the annealing temperature was 55° C.

[0141] PCR reactions using F1-R1 and F2-R2 primer pairs, which amplify upstream regions of CHST6 in normal individuals, yielded no detectable bands for patient #39 and #54. However, PCR primer sets F1/R1M and F2M/R2, which do not amplify normal genomic DNA, produced DNA amplicons when #39 and #54 genomic DNAs were used as templates (FIG. 6B). These results indicate that the DNA region which contains the R1 and F2 sequences was replaced by the region spanning the R1M and F2M sequences (FIG. 6A). Since the flanking sequences of both these regions are highly homologous to each other (region A and region B in FIG. 6A), this replacement mutation found in patients #39 and #54 can be a result of homologous recombination.

[0142] This replacement was also found in another unrelated MCD type II family (FIG. 6C). Haplotype analysis indicated that the patients in this family have different mutations in each allele. Specifically, genomic PCR and direct sequence analyses revealed that these type II patients had a replacement mutation upstream of CHST6 on the maternal allele and a missense mutation in the coding region on the paternal allele (FIG. 6C). The missense mutation was classified as a type I mutation because the mutation, R50C (nucleotide replacement C840A), was located in a conserved domain for 5′ PAPS binding (Kakuta et al., Nature Struct. Biol. 4:904-908 (1997), and Kakuta et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 23:129-130 (1998); FIG. 6C) and is likely to affect C-GlcNAc6ST activity in a manner similar to other type I mutations.

[0143] PCR-RFLP analysis was carried out to detect the R50C missense mutation using the above-described PCR-RFLP method with primers CK71h-F781 (5′-AGACCTTCCTCCTCCTCTTTCTGGTT-3′; SEQ ID NO: 36) and RFLP3 (5′-TTGGCCCACGAAGGACGAGCCCGGGC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 37), and by digestion with KasI. Replacement PCR and PCR-RFLP analyses showed that these patients (FIG. 6C) had heterozygote compounds with mutations classified as type I and type II in different alleles. Because these patients had measurable serum sulfated KS levels characteristic of MCD type II, these results indicate that the MCD type II phenotype is dominant over the type I phenotype. Previous studies have also reported the existence of MCD type II patients in type I families, which is consistent with these findings (Liu et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet. 63:912-917 (1998); Klintworth et al., Am. J. Ophthalmol. 124:9-18 (1997); and Liu et al., Br. J. Ophthalmol. 82:241-244 (1998)).

[0144] Another DNA rearrangement was found in a large MCD type II family (FIG. 6D). Southern blot analysis was carried out as described above, and PCR analysis was carried out using the method described above for replacement PCR analysis. Results revealed that a large DNA region including CHST5 and the upstream region of CHST6 is missing in these type II patients. Since F2M/R2 primers amplified genomic DNA from both the patients and unaffected heterozygous family individuals who have the same haplotype as type II patients, the disease-causative mutation in this family is a 40 kbp deletion spanning from the homologous region B that is upstream of CHST5 to the region B of CHST6 (see FIG. 6A).

[0145] All type II mutations were found in the upstream region of CHST6, which can contain gene regulatory elements that affect transcription of CHST6. These results and the histological results of Example III demonstrate that MCD type II mutations promote loss of CHST6 expression in the cornea, while expression in other KS-rich tissues such as cartilage is not affected. This explains the marked difference in serum sulfated KS levels between MCD type I and II, while the clinical phenotypes of MCD type I and II are indistinguishable.

EXAMPLE VI

[0146] This example demonstrates that human corneal GlcNAc6St and murine I-GlcNAc6ST catalyze sulfation of KS in HeLa cells.

[0147] The ability of C-GlcNAc6ST, the observed C-GlcNAc6ST mutants, and several sulfotransferases homologous to C-GlcNAc6ST to catalyze sulfur transfer to KS in HeLa cells was tested. cDNA encoding human keratan sulfate galactose-6-sulfotransferase (KSG6) and murine intestinal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (mI-GlcNAc6ST) were obtained by PCR from human and murine genomic DNA, respectively, and were each cloned into pcDNA3.1, as was I-GlcNAc6ST, C-GlcNAc6ST, and C-GlcNAc6ST mutants 50R→C, 174K→R, 203D→E, 211R→W, 217A→T and 274E→K.

[0148] Sulfotransferase encoding vectors were then transformed into HeLa cells by lipofection or LipofectAmine PLUS (GIBCO-BRL). Transformed HeLa cells were grown in duplicate in DMEM media containing unsulfated KS and media lacking any form of KS. After two days, staining for sulfated KS was carried out using anti-sulfated KS antibody 5D4 as described above. The results demonstrate that, in HeLa cells, related human proteins KSG6 and I-GlcNAc6ST do not catalyze sulfation of KS, whereas the human corneal GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 2) and murine I-GlcNAc6ST (SEQ ID NO: 5) do produce sulfated keratan sulfate (see Table 2). Additionally, all variant forms of human corneal GlcNAc6ST obtained from in MCD type I and II patients lacked catalytic activity. TABLE 2 Activity of wild type and mutant sulfotransferases Sulfotransferase gene product Sulfated KS level None − KSG6ST − I-GlcNAc6ST − C-GlcNAc6ST +++ mI-GlcNAc6ST +++ R50C − K174R − D203E − R211W − A217T − E274K −

[0149] The corneally-expressed GlcNAc6ST of mice and human demonstrate specific catalytic KS sulfotransferase activity in HeLa cells. This result is supported by the amino acid residues conserved between mouse I-GlcNAc6ST and human C-GlcNAc6ST, but not in human I-GlcNAc6ST, as demonstrated by amino acid sequence alignment calculated using ClustalW (FIG. 2).

[0150] All journal article, reference, and patent citations provided above, in parentheses or otherwise, whether previously stated or not, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0151] Although the invention has been described with reference to the examples above, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the following claims.

1 38 1 2544 DNA Homo Sapien CDS (693)...(1877) 1 caccgggcag cgccgagggt tgccggccgg cgcgcgggga gtagagggcg cgggccgcag 60 tgccgggttc cagagggagc tctgcgccgg gtccttccct gtggtagccc caggacaccc 120 ccagcctcaa catcccattc tgggactcct gccctgttcc cacattcgtt ctacctcgag 180 tctccaggag cttccagtgg cttggtcacc gccaactctc gtccatgcct cttagagccc 240 ctttcccggc ctcaccgggt gtcgcttaat agtcttggga ccttaaggag caagtcagcc 300 cctgcggacc ctcccagtga agagaaagag ctggctgtgc ggtggaattt ggaagagacg 360 acgtttggga gcctttgctg agtccaggga gagaggcgtc ccccaccgtg ccgctgcagc 420 tcgggcagag ccgccaagct ttgggttctc tagggtgtgt acccaggagt ggatctgctg 480 tatcatatgg tcactctatt caacctttcg agaaaccacc aaattgtttc ttcaggaaat 540 gcaccatctg acatccccac tttatgagga tccccacgtc tctgtcatct caccaacact 600 tgtgctgagg aacctctaat catctcccat ggatttgtga tcagcgttgc agctctccca 660 gcagccctgg acagtggccc ccagcagtca gc atg tgg ctg ccg cgc gtc tcc 713 Met Trp Leu Pro Arg Val Ser 1 5 agc aca gca gtg acc gcg ctc ctc ctg gcg cag acc ttc ctc ctc ctc 761 Ser Thr Ala Val Thr Ala Leu Leu Leu Ala Gln Thr Phe Leu Leu Leu 10 15 20 ttt ctg gtt tcc cgg cca ggg ccc tcg tcc cca gca ggc ggc gag gcg 809 Phe Leu Val Ser Arg Pro Gly Pro Ser Ser Pro Ala Gly Gly Glu Ala 25 30 35 cgc gtg cat gtg ctg gtg ctg tcc tcg tgg cgc tcg ggc tcg tcc ttc 857 Arg Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser Ser Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe 40 45 50 55 gtg ggc caa ctc ttc aac cag cac ccc gac gtc ttc tac cta atg gag 905 Val Gly Gln Leu Phe Asn Gln His Pro Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu 60 65 70 ccc gcg tgg cac gtg tgg acc acc ctg tcg cag ggc agc gcc gca acg 953 Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp Thr Thr Leu Ser Gln Gly Ser Ala Ala Thr 75 80 85 ctg cac atg gct gtg cgc gac ctg gtg cgc tcc gtc ttc ctg tgc gac 1001 Leu His Met Ala Val Arg Asp Leu Val Arg Ser Val Phe Leu Cys Asp 90 95 100 atg gac gtg ttt gat gcc tat ctg cct tgg cgc cgc aac ctg tcc gac 1049 Met Asp Val Phe Asp Ala Tyr Leu Pro Trp Arg Arg Asn Leu Ser Asp 105 110 115 ctc ttc cag tgg gcc gtg agc cgt gca ctg tgc tcg cca ccc gcc tgc 1097 Leu Phe Gln Trp Ala Val Ser Arg Ala Leu Cys Ser Pro Pro Ala Cys 120 125 130 135 agt gcc ttt ccc cga ggc gcc atc agc agc gag gcc gtg tgc aag cca 1145 Ser Ala Phe Pro Arg Gly Ala Ile Ser Ser Glu Ala Val Cys Lys Pro 140 145 150 ctg tgc gcg cgg cag tcc ttc acc ctg gcc cgg gag gcc tgc cgc tcc 1193 Leu Cys Ala Arg Gln Ser Phe Thr Leu Ala Arg Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser 155 160 165 tac agc cac gtg gtg ctc aag gag gtg cgc ttc ttc aac ctg cag gtg 1241 Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu Val Arg Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val 170 175 180 ctc tac ccg ctg ctc agc gac ccc gcg ctc aac cta cgc atc gtg cac 1289 Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro Ala Leu Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His 185 190 195 ctg gtg cgc gac ccg cgg gcc gtg ctg cgc tcc cgg gag cag aca gcc 1337 Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Leu Arg Ser Arg Glu Gln Thr Ala 200 205 210 215 aag gct ctg gcg cgt gac aac ggc atc gtg ctg ggc acc aac ggc acg 1385 Lys Ala Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Gly Ile Val Leu Gly Thr Asn Gly Thr 220 225 230 tgg gtg gag gcc gac ccc ggc ctg cgc gtg gtg cgc gag gtg tgc cgt 1433 Trp Val Glu Ala Asp Pro Gly Leu Arg Val Val Arg Glu Val Cys Arg 235 240 245 agc cac gta cgc atc gcc gag gcc gcc aca ctc aag ccg cca ccc ttt 1481 Ser His Val Arg Ile Ala Glu Ala Ala Thr Leu Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe 250 255 260 ctg cgc ggc cgc tac cgc ctg gtg cgc ttc gag gac ctg gcg cgg gag 1529 Leu Arg Gly Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val Arg Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Glu 265 270 275 ccg ctg gca gaa atc cgt gcg ctc tac gcc ttc act ggg ctc agt ctc 1577 Pro Leu Ala Glu Ile Arg Ala Leu Tyr Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Ser Leu 280 285 290 295 acg cca cag ctc gag gcc tgg atc cat aac atc acc cac gga tct gga 1625 Thr Pro Gln Leu Glu Ala Trp Ile His Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly 300 305 310 cct ggt gcg cgc cgc gaa gcc ttc aag act tcg tcc agg aat gcg ctc 1673 Pro Gly Ala Arg Arg Glu Ala Phe Lys Thr Ser Ser Arg Asn Ala Leu 315 320 325 aac gtc tcc cag gcc tgg cgc cat gcg ctg ccc ttt gcc aag atc cgc 1721 Asn Val Ser Gln Ala Trp Arg His Ala Leu Pro Phe Ala Lys Ile Arg 330 335 340 cgc gtg cag gaa ctg tgc gct ggt gcg ctg cag ctg ctg ggc tac cgg 1769 Arg Val Gln Glu Leu Cys Ala Gly Ala Leu Gln Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg 345 350 355 cct gtg tac tct gag gac gag cag cgc aac ctc gcc ctt gat ctg gtg 1817 Pro Val Tyr Ser Glu Asp Glu Gln Arg Asn Leu Ala Leu Asp Leu Val 360 365 370 375 ctg cca cga ggc ctg aac ggc ttc act tgg gca tca tcc acc gcc tcg 1865 Leu Pro Arg Gly Leu Asn Gly Phe Thr Trp Ala Ser Ser Thr Ala Ser 380 385 390 cac ccc cga aat tagtggaggc cacagttgta gcaggcgcta ggcccgggag 1917 His Pro Arg Asn 395 gagagtgcat ggtgcagagg gggctggggc gcacggagaa gcaggtccct atattgacca 1977 aggagtttgt ggtacgaccc ctccccctcc ccaagtaggc aaggactgca cgtttctttc 2037 tctcttgatt cttggttttc ctttgagtcc tcatttcagg gttcacttca ggggctccca 2097 aagcgacaag atcgttaggg agagaggccc agggtgggga ctgggaattt aaggagagct 2157 gggaacggat cccttaggtt caggaagctt ctgtgcaagc tgcgaggatg gcttgggccg 2217 aagggttgct ctgcccgccg cgctagctgt gagctgagca aagccctggg ctcacagcac 2277 cccaaaagcc tgtggcttca gtcctgcgtc tgcaccaccc aatcaaaagg atcgttttgt 2337 tttgttttta aagaaaggtg agattggctt ggttcttcat gagcacattt gatatagctc 2397 tttttctgtt tttccttgct catttcgttt tggggaagaa atctgtactg tattgggatt 2457 gtaaagaaca tctttgcact cagacagttt acagaaataa atgttttttt tgtttttcaa 2517 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaa 2544 2 395 PRT Homo Sapien 2 Met Trp Leu Pro Arg Val Ser Ser Thr Ala Val Thr Ala Leu Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Thr Phe Leu Leu Leu Phe Leu Val Ser Arg Pro Gly Pro Ser 20 25 30 Ser Pro Ala Gly Gly Glu Ala Arg Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser Ser 35 40 45 Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Val Gly Gln Leu Phe Asn Gln His Pro 50 55 60 Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp Thr Thr Leu 65 70 75 80 Ser Gln Gly Ser Ala Ala Thr Leu His Met Ala Val Arg Asp Leu Val 85 90 95 Arg Ser Val Phe Leu Cys Asp Met Asp Val Phe Asp Ala Tyr Leu Pro 100 105 110 Trp Arg Arg Asn Leu Ser Asp Leu Phe Gln Trp Ala Val Ser Arg Ala 115 120 125 Leu Cys Ser Pro Pro Ala Cys Ser Ala Phe Pro Arg Gly Ala Ile Ser 130 135 140 Ser Glu Ala Val Cys Lys Pro Leu Cys Ala Arg Gln Ser Phe Thr Leu 145 150 155 160 Ala Arg Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu Val 165 170 175 Arg Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro Ala 180 185 190 Leu Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Leu 195 200 205 Arg Ser Arg Glu Gln Thr Ala Lys Ala Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Gly Ile 210 215 220 Val Leu Gly Thr Asn Gly Thr Trp Val Glu Ala Asp Pro Gly Leu Arg 225 230 235 240 Val Val Arg Glu Val Cys Arg Ser His Val Arg Ile Ala Glu Ala Ala 245 250 255 Thr Leu Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe Leu Arg Gly Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val Arg 260 265 270 Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Glu Pro Leu Ala Glu Ile Arg Ala Leu Tyr 275 280 285 Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Ser Leu Thr Pro Gln Leu Glu Ala Trp Ile His 290 295 300 Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly Pro Gly Ala Arg Arg Glu Ala Phe Lys 305 310 315 320 Thr Ser Ser Arg Asn Ala Leu Asn Val Ser Gln Ala Trp Arg His Ala 325 330 335 Leu Pro Phe Ala Lys Ile Arg Arg Val Gln Glu Leu Cys Ala Gly Ala 340 345 350 Leu Gln Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg Pro Val Tyr Ser Glu Asp Glu Gln Arg 355 360 365 Asn Leu Ala Leu Asp Leu Val Leu Pro Arg Gly Leu Asn Gly Phe Thr 370 375 380 Trp Ala Ser Ser Thr Ala Ser His Pro Arg Asn 385 390 395 3 395 PRT Artificial Sequence synthetic construct 3 Met Trp Leu Pro Arg Phe Ser Ser Thr Xaa Val Thr Xaa Leu Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Thr Xaa Leu Leu Leu Phe Leu Val Ser Arg Pro Gly Pro Ser 20 25 30 Ser Pro Ala Gly Gly Glu Xaa Arg Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser Ser 35 40 45 Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Val Gly Gln Leu Phe Ser Gln His Pro 50 55 60 Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp Thr Thr Leu 65 70 75 80 Ser Gln Gly Ser Ala Ala Thr Leu His Met Ala Val Arg Asp Leu Xaa 85 90 95 Arg Ser Val Phe Leu Cys Asp Met Asp Val Phe Asp Ala Tyr Leu Pro 100 105 110 Trp Arg Arg Asn Leu Ser Asp Leu Phe Gln Trp Ala Val Ser Arg Ala 115 120 125 Leu Cys Ser Pro Pro Ala Cys Ser Ala Phe Pro Arg Gly Xaa Ile Ser 130 135 140 Ser Glu Xaa Val Cys Lys Pro Leu Cys Ala Arg Gln Pro Phe Xaa Leu 145 150 155 160 Ala Arg Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu Val 165 170 175 Arg Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro Ala 180 185 190 Leu Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Leu 195 200 205 Arg Ser Arg Glu Gln Thr Ala Lys Ala Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Gly Ile 210 215 220 Val Leu Gly Thr Asn Gly Thr Trp Val Glu Ala Asp Pro Xaa Leu Arg 225 230 235 240 Val Val Arg Glu Val Cys Arg Ser His Val Arg Ile Ala Glu Ala Ala 245 250 255 Thr Leu Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe Leu Arg Gly Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val Arg 260 265 270 Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Glu Pro Leu Ala Glu Ile Arg Ala Leu Tyr 275 280 285 Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Xaa Leu Thr Pro Gln Leu Glu Ala Trp Ile His 290 295 300 Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly Pro Gly Ala Arg Arg Glu Ala Phe Lys 305 310 315 320 Thr Ser Ser Arg Asn Ala Leu Asn Val Ser Gln Ala Trp Arg His Ala 325 330 335 Leu Pro Phe Ala Lys Ile Arg Arg Val Gln Glu Leu Cys Ala Gly Ala 340 345 350 Leu Gln Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg Pro Val Tyr Ser Glu Asp Glu Gln Arg 355 360 365 Asp Leu Xaa Leu Asp Leu Val Leu Pro Arg Gly Xaa Asp Xaa Phe Xaa 370 375 380 Trp Ala Ser Ser Thr Xaa Xaa Xaa Pro Xaa Xaa 385 390 395 4 390 PRT Homo Sapien 4 Met Trp Leu Pro Arg Phe Ser Ser Lys Thr Val Thr Val Leu Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Ala Gln Thr Thr Cys Leu Leu Leu Phe Ile Ile Ser Arg Pro Gly Pro 20 25 30 Ser Ser Pro Ala Gly Gly Glu Asp Arg Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser 35 40 45 Ser Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Leu Gly Gln Leu Phe Ser Gln His 50 55 60 Pro Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp Thr Thr 65 70 75 80 Leu Ser Gln Gly Ser Ala Ala Thr Leu His Met Ala Val Arg Asp Leu 85 90 95 Met Arg Ser Ile Phe Leu Cys Asp Met Asp Val Phe Asp Ala Tyr Met 100 105 110 Pro Gln Ser Arg Asn Leu Ser Ala Phe Phe Asn Trp Ala Thr Ser Arg 115 120 125 Ala Leu Cys Ser Pro Pro Ala Cys Ser Ala Phe Pro Arg Gly Thr Ile 130 135 140 Ser Lys Gln Asp Val Cys Lys Thr Leu Cys Thr Arg Gln Pro Phe Ser 145 150 155 160 Leu Ala Arg Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu 165 170 175 Val Arg Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro 180 185 190 Ala Leu Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val 195 200 205 Leu Arg Ser Arg Glu Ala Ala Gly Pro Ile Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Gly 210 215 220 Ile Val Leu Gly Thr Asn Gly Lys Trp Val Glu Ala Asp Pro His Leu 225 230 235 240 Arg Leu Ile Arg Glu Val Cys Arg Ser His Val Arg Ile Ala Glu Ala 245 250 255 Ala Thr Leu Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe Leu Arg Gly Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val 260 265 270 Arg Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Glu Pro Leu Ala Glu Ile Arg Ala Leu 275 280 285 Tyr Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Thr Leu Thr Pro Gln Leu Glu Ala Trp Ile 290 295 300 His Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly Ile Gly Lys Pro Ile Glu Ala Phe 305 310 315 320 His Thr Ser Ser Arg Asn Ala Arg Asn Val Ser Gln Ala Trp Arg His 325 330 335 Ala Leu Pro Phe Thr Lys Ile Leu Arg Val Gln Glu Val Cys Ala Gly 340 345 350 Ala Leu Gln Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg Pro Val Tyr Ser Ala Asp Gln Gln 355 360 365 Arg Asp Leu Thr Leu Asp Leu Val Leu Pro Arg Gly Pro Asp His Phe 370 375 380 Ser Trp Ala Ser Pro Asp 385 390 5 418 PRT Mus musculus 5 Ser Gly Ser Leu Cys Ala Pro Trp Val Arg Ser Ala Glu Ala Gln Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Ala Gln Ala Leu Ala Arg Gly Met Arg Leu Pro Arg Phe Ser Ser 20 25 30 Thr Val Met Leu Ser Leu Leu Met Val Gln Thr Gly Ile Leu Val Phe 35 40 45 Leu Val Ser Arg Gln Val Pro Ser Ser Pro Ala Gly Leu Gly Glu Arg 50 55 60 Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser Ser Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Val 65 70 75 80 Gly Gln Leu Phe Ser Gln His Pro Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro 85 90 95 Ala Trp His Val Trp Asp Thr Leu Ser Gln Gly Ser Ala Pro Ala Leu 100 105 110 His Met Ala Val Arg Asp Leu Ile Arg Ser Val Phe Leu Cys Asp Met 115 120 125 Asp Val Phe Asp Ala Tyr Leu Pro Trp Arg Arg Asn Ile Ser Asp Leu 130 135 140 Phe Gln Trp Ala Val Ser Arg Ala Leu Cys Ser Pro Pro Val Cys Glu 145 150 155 160 Ala Phe Ala Arg Gly Asn Ile Ser Ser Glu Glu Val Cys Lys Pro Leu 165 170 175 Cys Ala Thr Arg Pro Phe Gly Leu Ala Gln Glu Ala Cys Ser Ser Tyr 180 185 190 Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu Val Arg Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val Leu 195 200 205 Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro Ala Leu Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His Leu 210 215 220 Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Leu Arg Ser Arg Glu Gln Thr Ala Lys 225 230 235 240 Ala Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Gly Ile Val Leu Gly Thr Asn Gly Thr Trp 245 250 255 Val Glu Ala Asp Pro Arg Leu Arg Val Val Asn Glu Val Cys Arg Ser 260 265 270 His Val Arg Ile Ala Glu Ala Leu His Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe Leu Gln 275 280 285 Asp Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val Arg Tyr Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Asp Pro Leu 290 295 300 Thr Val Ile Arg Glu Leu Tyr Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Gly Leu Thr Pro 305 310 315 320 Gln Leu Gln Thr Trp Ile His Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly Pro Gly 325 330 335 Ala Arg Arg Glu Ala Phe Lys Thr Thr Ser Arg Asp Ala Leu Ser Val 340 345 350 Ser Gln Ala Trp Arg His Thr Leu Pro Phe Ala Lys Ile Arg Arg Val 355 360 365 Gln Glu Leu Cys Gly Gly Ala Leu Gln Leu Leu Gly Tyr Arg Ser Val 370 375 380 His Ser Glu Leu Glu Gln Arg Asp Leu Ser Leu Asp Leu Leu Leu Pro 385 390 395 400 Arg Gly Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Trp Ala Ser Ser Thr Glu Lys Gln Pro 405 410 415 Glu Ser 6 169 PRT Homo Sapien 6 Ser Pro Ala Gly Gly Glu Ala Arg Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser Ser 1 5 10 15 Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Val Gly Gln Leu Phe Asn Gln His Pro 20 25 30 Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp Thr Thr Leu 35 40 45 Ser Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu Val Arg 50 55 60 Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro Ala Leu 65 70 75 80 Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Leu Arg 85 90 95 Ser Arg Glu Gln Thr Ala Lys Ala Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Glu Ala Ala 100 105 110 Thr Leu Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe Leu Arg Gly Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val Arg 115 120 125 Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Glu Pro Leu Ala Glu Ile Arg Ala Leu Tyr 130 135 140 Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Ser Leu Thr Pro Gln Leu Glu Ala Trp Ile His 145 150 155 160 Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly Pro Gly 165 7 169 PRT Homo Sapien 7 Ser Pro Ala Gly Gly Glu Asp Arg Val His Val Leu Val Leu Ser Ser 1 5 10 15 Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Leu Gly Gln Leu Phe Ser Gln His Pro 20 25 30 Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp Thr Thr Leu 35 40 45 Ser Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys Glu Val Arg 50 55 60 Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Val Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Ser Asp Pro Ala Leu 65 70 75 80 Asn Leu Arg Ile Val His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Leu Arg 85 90 95 Ser Arg Glu Ala Ala Gly Pro Ile Leu Ala Arg Asp Asn Glu Ala Ala 100 105 110 Thr Leu Lys Pro Pro Pro Phe Leu Arg Gly Arg Tyr Arg Leu Val Arg 115 120 125 Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Glu Pro Leu Ala Glu Ile Arg Ala Leu Tyr 130 135 140 Ala Phe Thr Gly Leu Thr Leu Thr Pro Gln Leu Glu Ala Trp Ile His 145 150 155 160 Asn Ile Thr His Gly Ser Gly Ile Gly 165 8 171 PRT Homo Sapien 8 Ser Ser Leu Ser Met Lys Ala Gln Pro Glu Arg Met His Val Leu Val 1 5 10 15 Leu Ser Ser Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Val Gly Gln Leu Phe Gly 20 25 30 Gln His Pro Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Met Glu Pro Ala Trp His Val Trp 35 40 45 Met Thr Phe Lys Lys Ala Cys Arg Ser Tyr Ser His Val Val Leu Lys 50 55 60 Glu Val Arg Phe Phe Asn Leu Gln Ser Leu Tyr Pro Leu Leu Lys Asp 65 70 75 80 Pro Ser Leu Asn Leu His Ile Val His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala 85 90 95 Val Phe Arg Ser Arg Glu Arg Thr Lys Gly Asp Leu Met Ile Asp Ser 100 105 110 Lys Thr Ile Gln Ser Leu Pro Lys Ala Leu Gln Glu Arg Tyr Leu Leu 115 120 125 Val Arg Tyr Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg Ala Pro Val Ala Gln Thr Ser Arg 130 135 140 Met Tyr Glu Phe Val Gly Leu Glu Phe Leu Pro His Leu Gln Thr Trp 145 150 155 160 Val His Asn Ile Thr Arg Gly Lys Gly Met Gly 165 170 9 169 PRT Homo Sapien 9 Ala Pro Glu Gly Val Gly Asp Lys Arg His Trp Met Tyr Val Phe Thr 1 5 10 15 Thr Trp Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Phe Gly Glu Leu Phe Asn Gln Asn 20 25 30 Pro Glu Val Phe Phe Leu Tyr Glu Pro Val Trp His Val Trp Gln Lys 35 40 45 Leu Tyr Glu Glu Cys Arg Lys Tyr Arg Thr Leu Val Ile Lys Gly Val 50 55 60 Arg Val Phe Asp Val Ala Val Leu Ala Pro Leu Leu Arg Asp Pro Ala 65 70 75 80 Leu Asp Leu Lys Val Ile His Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Ala Val Ala 85 90 95 Ser Ser Arg Ile Arg Ser Arg His Gly Leu Ile Arg Glu Ser Gln Thr 100 105 110 Ala Leu Gln Pro Pro Asp Trp Leu Gln Gly His Tyr Leu Val Val Arg 115 120 125 Tyr Glu Asp Leu Val Gly Asp Pro Val Lys Thr Leu Arg Arg Val Tyr 130 135 140 Asp Phe Val Gly Leu Leu Val Ser Pro Glu Met Glu Gln Phe Ala Leu 145 150 155 160 Asn Met Thr Ser Gly Ser Gly Ser Ser 165 10 179 PRT Homo Sapien 10 Arg Leu Cys Glu Glu Ser Pro Thr Phe Ala Tyr Asn Leu Ser Arg Lys 1 5 10 15 Thr His Ile Leu Ile Leu Ala Thr Thr Arg Ser Gly Ser Ser Phe Val 20 25 30 Gly Gln Leu Phe Asn Gln His Leu Asp Val Phe Tyr Leu Phe Glu Pro 35 40 45 Leu Tyr His Val Gln Asn Thr Leu Ile Pro Arg Phe Glu Ala Cys Arg 50 55 60 Glu Arg Ser His Val Ala Ile Lys Thr Val Arg Val Pro Glu Val Asn 65 70 75 80 Asp Leu Arg Ala Leu Val Glu Asp Pro Arg Leu Asn Leu Lys Val Ile 85 90 95 Gln Leu Val Arg Asp Pro Arg Gly Ile Leu Ala Ser Arg Ser Glu Thr 100 105 110 Phe Arg Asp Thr Tyr Arg Leu Trp Ser Thr Gly Leu Met Arg Pro Pro 115 120 125 Trp Leu Lys Gly Lys Tyr Met Leu Val Arg Tyr Glu Asp Leu Ala Arg 130 135 140 Asn Pro Met Lys Lys Thr Glu Glu Ile Tyr Gly Phe Leu Gly Ile Pro 145 150 155 160 Leu Asp Ser His Val Ala Arg Trp Ile Gln Asn Asn Thr Arg Gly Asp 165 170 175 Pro Thr Leu 11 174 PRT Homo Sapien 11 Glu Glu Pro Pro Arg Pro Ala Val Ala Gly Pro Arg Arg His Val Leu 1 5 10 15 Leu Met Ala Thr Thr Arg Thr Gly Ser Ser Phe Val Gly Glu Phe Phe 20 25 30 Asn Gln Gln Gly Asn Ile Phe Tyr Leu Phe Glu Pro Leu Trp His Ile 35 40 45 Glu Arg Thr Val Ser Phe Glu Glu Ala Cys Arg Arg Lys Glu His Met 50 55 60 Ala Leu Lys Ala Val Arg Ile Arg Gln Leu Glu Phe Leu Gln Pro Leu 65 70 75 80 Ala Glu Asp Pro Arg Leu Asp Leu Arg Val Ile Gln Leu Val Arg Asp 85 90 95 Pro Arg Ala Val Leu Ala Ser Arg Met Val Ala Phe Ala Gly Lys Tyr 100 105 110 Lys Thr Trp Glu Leu Gly Leu Arg Gln Pro Ala Trp Leu Arg Gly Arg 115 120 125 Tyr Met Leu Val Arg Tyr Glu Asp Val Ala Arg Gly Pro Leu Gln Lys 130 135 140 Ala Arg Glu Met Tyr Pro Phe Ala Gly Ile Pro Leu Thr Pro Gln Val 145 150 155 160 Glu Asp Trp Ile Gln Lys Asn Thr Gln Ala Ala His Asp Gly 165 170 12 20 DNA Homo Sapien 12 agagccgaaa cctgtccgcc 20 13 21 DNA Homo Sapien 13 gcgtagagtg cgcggatctc t 21 14 23 DNA Homo Sapien 14 tatctgcctt ggcgccgcaa cct 23 15 23 DNA Homo Sapien 15 ccgttgtcac gcgccagagc ctt 23 16 22 DNA Homo Sapien 16 cggggaaagg cactgcaggc gg 22 17 23 DNA Homo Sapien 17 cgaccccgcg ctcaacctac gca 23 18 22 DNA Homo Sapien 18 cacgaggcct gaacggcttc ac 22 19 22 DNA Homo Sapien 19 cgggcctagc gcctgctaca ac 22 20 21 DNA Homo Sapien 20 gcccctaacc gctgcgctct c 21 21 20 DNA Homo Sapien 21 ggcttgcaca cggcctcgct 20 22 26 DNA Homo Sapien 22 gacgtgtttg atgcctatct gccttg 26 23 18 DNA Homo Sapien 23 cggcgcgcac caggtcca 18 24 21 DNA Homo Sapien 24 ctcccgggag cagacagcca a 21 25 18 DNA Homo Sapien 25 ctcccgggcc tagcgcct 18 26 23 DNA Homo Sapien 26 tgctctaccc gctgctcagc gac 23 27 23 DNA Homo Sapien 27 cgggagcgca gcacggcccc cgg 23 28 21 DNA Homo Sapien 28 tgcccccaga aaagaatcaa a 21 29 20 DNA Homo Sapien 29 tcctcccaag tcccttggag 20 30 28 DNA Homo Sapien 30 ccacagaagg aaggacagag taaatgaa 28 31 32 DNA Homo Sapien 31 ttccctttac tattataaaa atgctgctaa tg 32 32 31 DNA Homo Sapien 32 tgctgaatgg ctaactgaag gaatactata c 31 33 31 DNA Homo Sapien 33 catatcctgt ctggcctaaa ccttagttta c 31 34 23 DNA Homo Sapien 34 gggcacagac agagggaaaa acc 23 35 23 DNA Homo Sapien 35 ggccaagttc aggtcagctt cca 23 36 26 DNA Homo Sapien 36 agaccttcct cctcctcttt ctggtt 26 37 26 DNA Homo Sapien 37 ttggcccacg aaggacgagc ccgggc 26 38 48436 DNA Homo Sapien 38 tctcaaaaat aataataata ataaaataat aataataata gtctctctga tgtgttgact 60 cccctgggaa gtcttacata ctcctatgca gccattcttt ataaatcaac tggtctgtta 120 gggttagagt aacaaaaaca tgaagaaagc ataaagaatc attcaactaa ggtgaaattg 180 tgaagtcaat actgaaacaa aacaagtcca ttatgatggt gacaggaaat ggagtcaggg 240 cccaaggttt tggtcaatct ctcaaaattg agaggctgac caaaaggcag aaatgtttaa 300 attcaattaa atttggccca aagttcccag cactttggga ggccaaggtg ggcggatcat 360 gaggtcagga gatcgagacc atcttggcca acatggtgaa accccatctc tactaaaata 420 caaaaaatta gccgggcatg gtggcacatg cctataatcc cagctactcg ggaggctgag 480 gcagaggaat cactagaacc caggaggcag aggttgcagt gagctgagat cgtgcactgc 540 actccagcct ggtgacagag caagactccg tctccaaaaa aaaaaaaaga gaatttggcc 600 caaagctgct gccatacctg ttgaactgca acctaactta atatttaagt aaactgcctc 660 ccaactgaga ctatattctt gtaacaaata gttgaatctc agcaagtcac agcagctgtg 720 ctttaaccag tcacaggctg ccaactgatc agaccaagtc catataaggc aaatgctgag 780 ctgtacccca tcagactggt ttctctgtgt tacttccaaa aaattcggcc tgccagtgtt 840 tctgggtgga gcactttgaa cctttactgg ttcagggtgc tgcccgattc ataaattttc 900 tttgctcaaa taaagtctgc ttaatttgtc taatgttttt ctattaacag ttcagatgac 960 ttggcctcta cccaaactct ttctttcccc tagactctcc tctcttggaa tgcatcctga 1020 agcagctgaa aaggggtgcc ccgggcccag cagggagcaa aatctggtga tattgcttct 1080 gaacatccca catgtgccac acacgtgcac ccccccacac acacacatgc acactcacat 1140 gcacactcac atgcacactc acatgcacac tcacatgcac actcacatgc acactcacat 1200 gcacactcac atgcacacac agcctggact ctgttcccct tatgcccctg gcaccacact 1260 ccatcaaagc cattgacctt tatatccccc tgtgtcttca gtaagaggta tatcaggcca 1320 gacatggtgg ctcatccctg taattatcaa ttacccggtc tctggtattc tgttacagca 1380 gcacaaaagg gactaaaata ggctccttaa caaaaagatt cacagacaag aagtttgttt 1440 gtttgtttgt ttgttttgaa atagtgtctt gctttgtggc ccaggctgga gtgcagtggt 1500 tccatcttgg ctcactgcaa cccccacatc actgactcaa gagattcgcc catcttaacc 1560 tcccaagtag ctgggactac aggcacatca ctatgccagg ctaatttttg tattttgggg 1620 ggctacatgt gtttcagtat gtagcccaca ctgatctgta actcctgtgc tcagccttcc 1680 gaagtgctgg gattacaggt gtgagccact gtgcctgccc aagaacagtt cattaataca 1740 tgcagcatat atcacacagg acaaacctaa atgaaaagta acaacacagt ggctcagaac 1800 actgccttac acagcagatt ccaaaagaca caataaattt gtagagaaat aacaggaaaa 1860 agaaagtttt aggcctccaa aggtgagaaa ctgtgcatag gtaaatatct gagaggaagc 1920 cgatgcagca ggatttctct gcggtgcctc tggtaccgcc gctggctggg caaagttaag 1980 ggttgtctcc agtgaaggag agtttatatt gtgcctttag gcagaaaggg gagggaaacc 2040 tgaacttttc ctgtattttc tgcttcttaa ttgccttaag ctgaaaatca tttttatgtg 2100 aaagaggcat aatctgggat gacgcctctg ctttcctcca cctgaagaga acctgtgtgc 2160 tgctcctttg ctttggacct ctacctctgc cacggagaaa gcccaggcca acctgctgga 2220 caagcaggga ccgtgagaag gagagttcag gtgtcccaat ccaggccatc ctagaccagc 2280 cagcccctca cgagccccag ctgatcagca cgcagccact tctgctatct tctactggcc 2340 aaagtgagtc cagggttcac ccagattcag aggtggggaa actgagtcca ccacttgaga 2400 ggagtagcta taaagacata cgagcgagac cagctgagcc cagcactgct ggccaagtcg 2460 aagactttag gaccagccac acatgttccg tggccacacg tggccagtgg ctccatattg 2520 gacaatgcca atcagactcc tcattctcat tacatttgta tacccttctg gccctgagat 2580 ctttctatat ccgcatctga ctaagatgct ctactagaga acagcatcta cttcatattt 2640 ccatcctttg gaaacccaaa gagccagcag aagttttgac tttgcaattg atcctacacg 2700 ttcaaatttc tagcatctat cagaccgtgt aagatggaag agagacttac aagggctccc 2760 attacctagc ccagggtatg tgctcagggc tcttggcact tctcctcttg gttacacatg 2820 gttcagataa tgttggccac ttcttaacat tagtttctca tggcttgatt cctaggaagc 2880 attattcctc ccattttaag agggcagcca gttgagtgat tcaatgagtc aggcccagta 2940 ccaggcccca gggacacagt aagagacaga gtacacatag cccttgctct tgtctggggt 3000 gcagacacta aacaaataat caaacagatt aaacatgcaa ttataggttt taattatgcc 3060 ctaagaaaaa acaaagccgg gggcagtgac acaactgtaa tcccagcact tcgggaggct 3120 gggacaggag gattgcttga ggacatgagt tcaagaccag ccaggcaaat gaatcttgtg 3180 ggatagcact gtcaggctgg gctctgagcc tgcatcaaag cagaccctgt gtctacaaaa 3240 catttttaaa agttggtcaa gcatggtggt acacggctgt agtcctagct acttgggagg 3300 ctgaggcggg ggtgttgctt gagcctagaa gttcgaggct gcagtgagct acagtgagct 3360 gtgattcatc ccactacact ccaacctgtg cgacacagca agacatcatc tctaatttaa 3420 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaag aaggaaagaa agaaaaaagg atgatacaaa ataagccgag 3480 cgtggtggca catgcctgta atcccagcta ctcgggaggc tgaggcagga gaatcgcttg 3540 aacctgggag gcggaggttg ccatgagctg agatcgcgcc actgcactct agcctgggca 3600 acaagagtga cactccatct cgaaaaaaaa aaaagaggcg ggtgcagtgg ctcactcctg 3660 taatcccagg actttggtag gccatggcag gtggatcact tgaggccagg agtttgaaac 3720 caacctggct aacatggcaa aacctcagct ctactaaaaa taaaaaaaaa ttaaccaggc 3780 gtggtggtgc gcatctgtaa tcccagctac ttgggagact gaggcaggag aatcacatga 3840 acctgggagg tggaggttgc agtgagccga gatcatgaca ttgcactcta gcatgggtga 3900 cagagggaga ctgcatctca aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa tgaagaagcg gctgggcacg 3960 gtggctcaca cctgtaatcc cagcactttg ggaagccgag gcgggtggat cacgaggtca 4020 ggagttccag accagcctgg ccaacatggt gaaaccccca tctctactaa aaatacaaaa 4080 attagctggg cgtggtggca gacgcctgta atcccagcta cttgggaggc tgaggcagga 4140 gaatcacatg aacctgggag gcagaggttg cagtgagtct agatggtgtc attgcactcc 4200 agcctgggca atagagtgag actctgtctc aaaaaaaaaa aaaagaagca aatatgaaga 4260 ctatgtagtc ttgaagagga cacaatcttt tgaacaagac acaaaatcca caaactgtga 4320 agaaagaatt cactttcaaa atataataaa taggacaaaa ctttttggaa tttgcttgtg 4380 gtgacgtggt gatctgatct cacaggtcta tacatctaat tttatacttt acatataaat 4440 attttgtata aattatgtct caatactttt ttttacagaa gcattggggg aaaataccat 4500 aaagtaggtt aaaaaacaga tgacaagcta gcagaaacca tttgccataa aaataagagc 4560 aaaaccaaga ggaagcggaa agtcaacaga aaaatgagca aagcccttta acaaagaaaa 4620 aagaaggcca ggccgggcgc agtggctcac gcctgtaatc ccagcacttt gggaggctga 4680 ggtgggtgga tcacctgagg tcaggagttt gagaccagcc tggccaacat ggcaaaaacc 4740 cgtctctact aaaaatacaa aaattagccg ggtgtagtgg cacacgcctg tagccccagc 4800 tacttcagaa gctgaggcag gagaattgct tgaacccggg aggcagaggt tgcaatgagc 4860 cgatattgct ccactgcact ccagcctggg tgatagagca agactccgtc tcaaaaaata 4920 ataataataa taatgataat aaaaaggaga aaaaggaagg ctgttgatta ataagcatga 4980 aaagatgctt agctgcccag ggaattaaag aaacgtaggt taaaacaaca tcaagtaaca 5040 tttttaaccc atcagctatg caaaagtgaa aatgatagat ttagccatgt ataggtggtg 5100 gtagcaccca ccaccacgcc tggctaattt ttatattttt agtagagaca gggtttcacc 5160 acgttggtca ggctggtctc aaactcctaa cctcaggtga tccacccgcc ttggcctccc 5220 aaagtgctgg gattacaggc atgaagcact gcgcccggcc tttttaattt tttttggaca 5280 gtcttgctct gttgcccagg ctggagtgca acggcacaat ttcggctcac tgcaacctcc 5340 acctccctgg ttcaaacgat tctcctgact cagcctccca agcagctggg attacaggca 5400 cccaccacca tgtccaggta atttttatgt ttttatttta tttatttatt tttaatttta 5460 ttttttgaga cagagtttcg ctcttgttgc ctaggctgga gtgcaatggt acgatcttgg 5520 ctcatacaac ctctgcctcc caggttcaag cgattttact gcctcagcct cttgagtagc 5580 tgggattaca gacattcgcc accatgccca gctaattttg tatttttagt agagaagggg 5640 tttctccacg ttggttaggt tggtcttgaa gtcccaacct caggtgatcc gcccgcctca 5700 gcctcccaaa gtgctgggat tacaggtgtg agccactgtg cccagctcca gggctggtta 5760 tctttgtatt ttcaggtagc cagttctccc cacgccctct actgaaagat ctcatgcatc 5820 acattttctc cctttggggt aagaccagag aacctggcct gtcctgcaag tcttgtgtta 5880 ttctgatccc agtcttcatg aactccactc attcattcaa cacacattat gggttgagca 5940 ccaaccaggc atcgggcttt tggaggagct ggagatagag caggaccaag atagacaaaa 6000 agcaaaaacc cctgccctgt aggaacttgc attctgatgg tgggacacag ccagtgaatg 6060 agaagtttga taaatggcta aattatttag catattagaa agtgccaaag attaaagtgg 6120 agagggatca ggggattagg aatgtatgtg tgtttagggg tgtgagttgt taattttttt 6180 ttttaagaca gagtttcact ctgtcaccca ggctggagtg tagtggcacg atcttggctc 6240 actgcgatgt ctgcctcccg ggttcaaggg atgctcctgc ctcagccccg ctgagtagct 6300 ggaaatacag gcgttcgcca ccatgtctgg ctaattttta tatttttagt agagatgggg 6360 tttcaccatg ttggccaggg tggtctcgaa ctcctgactt caggcaatcc gcctgcctca 6420 gcctcccaga gttctgggat tacaggcgtg agccattgtg cctggctttt tttttttttt 6480 ttttttttga gactgagtct ggctctattg cccagactgg agtgcagtgg cgcgatttcg 6540 gctgactgca aactctgcct cccaggctca agtgattctc ctgcctcagc ctcctgagtg 6600 gctgggatta caggtgcctg ccaccacctg gctaattttt ttgtatttca agaccaggct 6660 ggtctcaaac tcctaacctc aagtgatcca cctgccttgg cctcccaaag tactgggatt 6720 acaggagtga gccaccatgc ctggcctttt ttttgttttt tttttttttt ttgagacagt 6780 gtctcacttt ttcacccagg ctgaagtgca gtggagtgca atggcacgat ctcaggtcac 6840 tgcaacctcc acctcccggg ttcaagtaat tctcctgcct cagtctcccg agtagctggg 6900 attacaggtg catgccacca ggctcagcta atttttttgt atatttagta gagacagggt 6960 ttcaccatgt tggccatggc tggtctcgaa ctcctgacct caaatgatcc acccgcctca 7020 gcctcccaaa gtgctgggat tacaggcatg agccactacg cccagcagtt tcttccactt 7080 ctaatagact ctgctagtct aggaaatgta ccaaaaagac agcatggtta aaggtcagta 7140 tttcatgacc ttttttatac ttcctatttt tattttattt aggtttcttg gttgatacaa 7200 aacgtcaatt gtagtggtag ggaacctgca taaggaagct tcctaaacag aggcttcaag 7260 agagaacact aataggccgg gcatgttggc tcatgcctgt aatcccagca cttcggaagc 7320 ccaaggcggg tggatcacct gaggccagga gttcaaagct ggcctggcca acatggtgaa 7380 acccccctct actaaaaata caaaaattag ctgggcgtgg tggcaggtgc ctgtagtcct 7440 ggctactcgg gaggctgagg cgggagaatc gcttgaaccc gggaggtaga ggttgcagtg 7500 agccgagaac gtgccactac actctagcct gggccagaga gtgagactct gtctcaaaga 7560 aaaaaaaaag gtcgggggag gcttgagaga atgggttcac tttcttcctc catgtgagga 7620 cccataggta gtgccagcag tgaggcacag gccctttcca gatacgcaac ctacaggcgc 7680 ctatatcgtg gacctcccag cctccagaac catgagaaag taaatttctg ttctttataa 7740 attacccagt ttacttaaaa aaaatttttt ttgagacagg gtttccctct cttgcccagg 7800 ctggagttaa ggagcaccat ctctgctact gcagtctccg cctcccaggc tcaagcaatc 7860 atcctacctt agcatcctga gtaactggga ttgcaggcat atgccaccac gtctggctaa 7920 tttttctatt ttttgtagag atgggatctt gctatattgc ccaggctagt ctcgaactcc 7980 tgggctccag tgatcctcct gccctggcct cctaaagtgc tgcgattgca ggcttgagcc 8040 accacacctg accttgctta ttccttttca caatttctct gcctacattt taacgggatc 8100 tctgaaggga ggtgagtcaa aagtgtgatc cagttttgtt gtattgaata gaaggtcttt 8160 aaatttttat tgtatttaaa actcggtagc agctgggcaa ggtggctcat gcttgtaatc 8220 tcagcacttt gagaagctca ggcagggagg attgtttcag gcacaagttc gagatcagct 8280 tggggtaaca cagtgagacc ccattctttt tttaatttct tttcttttct tttcttttat 8340 cagacagagt tttgctctgt tgcccaggct ggagtgcaat ggtgccacct tggccaactg 8400 caacctccac ctcccaggtt caagcgattc tcctgcctca gcctcctgag tagctgggaa 8460 ctacaggcgc gcaccactac gcccagctaa tttttgtatt tttagtagag aggagatttc 8520 accacgtagg ccaggctagt ctcgaactcc tgacctcaag tgatacacca gcttcggcct 8580 cccaaagtgc tgggattaca ggtatgagcc actgcgccca gccgagaccc cattcttaga 8640 cacacacaca cacacacaca cacacacaca cacacacaca cacacgagag agagacagtg 8700 agagagagaa ttagagaatt agctggtcat ggtggtgcat gcctgtaatc ccagctactc 8760 aggacgctga ggaatgagaa ttgcttgagg cagaggctgc agtgagccaa gatcgtgcca 8820 ctgcactcca gcctgggcga cagagctaga ccctgtctca aaacaacaac aaaaaacaac 8880 tactttgcac tgtacagaga ctatatatcc acaggccaac ctccctccca ttccggtccc 8940 acaccagcct tttaataggt tttttacaag gccgggcgcg gtggctcacg cctgtaatcc 9000 cagcactttg ggaggccgag gcgggcggat cacaaggtca ggagatcgag accatcctgg 9060 ctaacatggt gaaagcccgt ctctactaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa tacaaaaaat 9120 taaccgggcc tggtggcagg cgccagtagt cccagctact tgggaggctg aggcaggaga 9180 acggcgtgaa cccgggaggc ggagcttaca gtgagccgag atcgcaccac tgcactccag 9240 cctgggcgac agagcaagac tccgtctcaa aaaaaaaaat aggcttttta ctatccggtt 9300 taaatagaga attttttttt gcttgttttt tgttttctct cttttttttt tttttttttt 9360 ttttgttttt tgagacagag tctcactctg tcgcccaggc tggagtgcag gggcccgatc 9420 tcggctcact gcaacctcct cctcccggat tcaagcgatt ctcctgcctc agcctcccga 9480 ctagctggga tacaggcgcg caccaccacg cccggctaat ttttgtattt ttggaagaga 9540 cggggtgtca ccatgttggc caggatggtc tcaaactcct gacctcaagt gatccgcccg 9600 cctcggcctc cccccagagt gctgggagta caggcgtgag ccaccgcacc cggcctgaga 9660 atgttcgtat tctactcatg aagacttcgt aaatattggg gtccagacct agatactaca 9720 acgttacaaa tctgttctga tcactgcttt gccagatccc tggtaaatcc acagctctgg 9780 ccgggggcgg gggggccgca tgcaattccc ttctttccta cagggggcgc tgcagagaag 9840 ggcagagcag agcgcgcagt tcgcgggcag gggccgcttc tccaggatag cgcgcgtccg 9900 agggggtggg tctgtgctag ccctgcgcaa cctcaggggc gggaacaact ctggctctgc 9960 ccccgccggc tggagcgcct tctcattgga ggagggaacg gtcacttggc agcgccgttg 10020 ggattggagg aagagggtct cgggtggagt gacgctgagg cggcgagggg gctggtggct 10080 ggccgctgct gcccttcggt agctggtccc ttaactcagt ggtgaatggc gaccggatgg 10140 agctctaggg aagcgacagc agcggcgggt gggccgggtt atgggcgccc cgagtccggg 10200 cggcgtcccc ggtgtgccgc tgacctgctg ggtgggcgct gtcctcccgg aggggggtcc 10260 ctttgctctc ccggacccct ttacccgtca cttcctcgcc ggtccctgag gcaggtcccc 10320 ggagccccgc tgggcgtgag gtgcagggag cggccgcagg tggacccggg gctggagggc 10380 gctcggccac cacccgagcg ggtcttggcc ttgagcttcc gagcgcctca ggttcagagc 10440 tgcaccccac gagcccggga ggcggtggtc cgcgccctgc ctgggttgcc ccacggcgcc 10500 cggcctcctt cgaggggcct cggagcggcc cggcccggcc cggctgagga gtcagagctc 10560 gcgctcccct tgcccgggag ctgcagcccg gctcctccgt gcgggcgctc gttcgctgat 10620 cgcgggcacc tcgggccaaa tccaccccct ccgagacccg ctccgctttc taggagtctc 10680 tttcccagac ctggtgccac ctgttgctgg gtctcccact aagccttcga gatctttggc 10740 acagcttcct ttgaactctt cctccccgct gcggcttgag ctgggcctgc taggagggtt 10800 gctcagaatt ccaatgccag aaagaacgct ccgtgccctg aaagctggag ggaggagaga 10860 ggacttcacc tgggaaggag gagaaaagct ttgaggggag gcacagttat ttgtgtggtc 10920 cttgaaaggc aagaagactg gggcccgtgg ccctgaaagg ggaggtgggg ctcccagcag 10980 aggggactga ggtcttcata aacaatgagg gaccagagca gagggaagga ggacgagatt 11040 ccagactcta gttccaaaca aggcacctgt gatttctcat cccctgggca gtgactgcca 11100 ggcgcccttc agcggacacc tgggacttgc agtgttatgt gcccagggat tttcctggac 11160 gggattgtga agtagcgggt aaggtcatca ggcaggttgg ggtcagatgc agatgttcgc 11220 ttgtggtcat tcctgaaatg agaatctggc agctcacgtt atttcagaag gtgctaggat 11280 cacttttgac agtgatacca aaaaattgat ggtattctgg tgaccctgtg tgaaaaatga 11340 aatgttcgtg caatctggag acactactgg gaccagatta atctgttttt gtttccttat 11400 ttatttattt ttgagacgga gtttagctct tgttgcccag gctggagtac aatggcgcga 11460 tctcggctca ctgcaacctc cccctcctag attcaagcga ttctcctgtc acaggctccc 11520 gagtacctgg gattacaggc atgcaccacc acgcctggct aattttgtat ttttagtaga 11580 gacggggttt ctccatgttg gtcacgttgg tcgtcaactc ccaacctcag gtgatctgcc 11640 tgcctcggct tcccaaagtg ttgggattac aggtgtgagc ctgcccgccc agcctttttt 11700 ttttgaggcg gagtctcgct ctgtctccca ggctgcagtg cagtagctcg atctcggctc 11760 actgcaagct ccacctcctg ggttcacacc attctcctgc ctcagcctcc cgagtagctg 11820 ggattacagg catgcacacc atgcccagct attttttttt ttttttttta gtagagacag 11880 ggtttcacca tgttggctag gctggtctgg aactcctgat ctcaagtgac ccacccacct 11940 cggcctttca aagtgttggg attacaggct tgagccacca tgcctggcct atgccaattg 12000 tttcatagaa tgtttacaat ctagcttcct ctgattttct tcattattag attcagattt 12060 tttgttcaga atgccacctt cataggtgat gtacacttgt cagtggatca ccttaagaga 12120 tgtcagttta tacctttgtt gacaagtttg atcctttcgt gaagatggtg tctgtcagct 12180 ctctccattg taagggtacc tgaaccctct cttaattaac agtcctatat ggggtgatac 12240 tttggaactg aatattctgt tgactcttct ggcttttagt tcacttttat ttcattaaga 12300 aaagattgag ataagtggat ttaggatgat agttttaatg taccaaagta gaggatctgt 12360 atgcatgaga attgttttga tctcagaaat tgttctgaaa attttaaact gcattgtgta 12420 cttaagttta agattatttt tatggatata taacttcaag gtgttggata ccacggatca 12480 ttcattcaat gtgtagacat ttggccaagt gcaggctctg acctggaggt ataagcagat 12540 aggaggcgtg gcccttgacc ccaaatagat gagaatttgg tggtaaatac ataacctgtg 12600 tattagtcca ttttcatgct gctggtaaag acatccctaa gactgggcaa cttacaaaag 12660 aaagaggttt aattggactt acagttccat gcggctgggg aagcctcaca atcttcatcg 12720 cggaaggcaa ggaggagcaa gtcctgtctt ccgtggatgg cagcaggcga agagagaatg 12780 aggaaaatgc aaaatcagaa acccctgata aaaccatcag acctcttgag atgtactacc 12840 gcgagagcag tatgggggag gaaccgccgc catgattcaa ttatctccca ccaggtccct 12900 tgcacaacac atgggaatta tgggaataga attcaatatg agatttgtgt gcggacacag 12960 agccagacca tatcaacccg catcccgtct ttagctggaa tgatggctgt attaggtaca 13020 tgaggtctga tcttgtttga ggcaccaaag cctgctttcc tgaagcatag ttaatatttt 13080 ggccccacag aaaaggttat ttgcagttta tgccaacttg ttattgcaaa atcattgctc 13140 tgaaatattc atttctacca ggaagctttg gattgatttt ttttacccgc aatatctgac 13200 caaccctcct tattccagtt gtttagattt cttttgtcat ttttaatgaa tctgaatgtc 13260 aaggaaggca gatctttttc tggtatcagg attgatttta ttgtgtgata atacagattt 13320 cactaaacta aagtcctaga aggtcttgtg ataattaaag tacaacccaa taatattttt 13380 cttgtgtcat tgctggaatc aagactgggt cagatttgga ccactcattt attcactcaa 13440 caaacattta ctgagtgtca attgtgtgcc cccctttttt ttctctaggt accaggtcaa 13500 gatgccatgg tgaacaaaac aaagcccttt cccacatgga gctttaattc caatggaggg 13560 agggagaaaa caaccaacct gtgggctgga acagctggtc gtgagtgtca gggtgagggc 13620 agaaagtggt agggcctgtg tagctggggt ggagtgccat ttgtcgttgg gtgatgggga 13680 gaccctcgat ggtgatgata ttggagtcaa aatccgaagg aagtgaggaa tgagccaaca 13740 gctcttgggg taagagcaag tgttccagtc cagggagcag ccgattcaga ggccctgaaa 13800 caggagctta cagaagaaac attgaggggg ccagggtgcc tggagggact atgtgggcaa 13860 gggggagagg aggaggggag ggcaggtcct ggagggctct actggggggt tttgagcaga 13920 gatgagatga ttctgacttt tatttttatt tatttattta tttttttgag atggagtctt 13980 actctgtcgc ccaggctaga gtgcagtggc gcgatctcgg ctcactgcaa gttctgcctc 14040 ccgggttcac accattctcc tgcctcagcc tcctgagtag ctgggactac aggcgcccac 14100 caccacgccc ggctaatttt ttgtattttt attagagatg gggtttcacg gtgttagcca 14160 ggatggtctc aatctcctga cctcatgatc cgccagtctc ggcctcccaa agtcctggga 14220 ttacaggtgt gagccactgc gcctggcctt tttttttttt tttttttgag atggagtctc 14280 actctgtcac ccaggccgga gtgcagtggc aggatctcag ctcactgcag cctccgcctc 14340 ctgggttcca gcaattctct gcctcagcct cccgagtagc tgggattata ggcacccacc 14400 accacacccg ggtaattttt gtattattag tagagacagg gtttcaccat cttggccagg 14460 ctggtcttga actcctgacc tcatgatcca cccaccttgg cctcccaaag tgctgggatt 14520 acagatgtgg gccaccatgc ccggccaatc ctgacttttt ttaaagtaca cagtccagtg 14580 gtttttagtg tgttcagaga gttgtataac tgttgccaca atcaatttga gaatatttgc 14640 atcatcccga gaagaaatcc cttacccagt ggcattgact tactggcttt gcgtggagaa 14700 tagatggaaa gcctgatcag gacaaagtct gctcaggcta ggatccagag accactgagg 14760 taaggcaggc caggggcaca cccacgaacc agggaggagc aggcaggcag tatccgagag 14820 aggtggttga ctacagttgg tagttcagtg ggcatgtcct cttgttagag aggagtggag 14880 gggacagttg gacctccagg cagggaggtg gggtttggca agagaggagt ctcccattgg 14940 acaatgggta gagttgcagg ctgatgggca atgattagta tcaaggcagc tcagcacgga 15000 gttgaaggac ccataagact cttaatcccc aggaggaccc atgtggtctg cctagaaccc 15060 cagcttcaga ggaactggct gtgttgaccc agtcattact ggaacacaga tgagagtggg 15120 gccagctgga aggagggctg agtgctgagc ctcatgctgc ccacttggct cagtttcttt 15180 gcattgctgc catttggggc cagggtggtc ttgaggcctt ggttgggagt taggtgactc 15240 tgctgtggag gttagaggct agggagccag ccattacaga ccgcttgtgt ttatgttctc 15300 tatatctgtt ctctttcact gcaatatctc tctgaaaata catccttaaa gaaataagct 15360 ctttgagagc aggcatctta gacttttttt caccaatgtt gccagcatat agaacgaact 15420 ctgtaaatat tcacagatgg actgggcaca gtggctcacg cctgtaatgc cagcactttg 15480 gagggttagg tgggcagatc acctgaggtc aggagttcga gaccagcctg gccaacatgg 15540 caaaacccca tcgctactaa aaatgcaaaa aaattagctt ggcgtagtgg cttgtgcctg 15600 taatcccagc tactcaggag gctgagacac gagaatctct tgcacccagg aggcggaggt 15660 tgcagtgagc tgagatcgtg ccactgcact ccagcctggg tgacagagtg agactcataa 15720 ataaataaat aaatattcat ggatgaaatg aaataaattc ttaaatgttt gtataagttt 15780 gctattgtta ctgtaatcaa ttccccaaat tgagctactt aaaactatat tgattttatc 15840 atcttatagt tcttacttct ggtggtcaaa agtccaaatt ggatgtctct gggctaaaac 15900 caaggttcaa cgggactatg ttccttctag aggctctagg aagaatttgc ttccttgact 15960 ttaccagctt ctagaggcca cttgcattcc taggcccatg gtcccctcct cttctccaaa 16020 tccagcagtg taacatcttc aaatctttct gactcaacct cctgtctcct cacaaagaaa 16080 cttgtgatta ctttagaccc atcttgaaaa tttgcagtaa ccccctactg caagatcttt 16140 aatcacagct gattaaatat ccttaattta atcacaggtt ttttaaaatt attttcttca 16200 ttttgttaaa tagtctagca aaccatttct tcagcacctt ttgccttgta acctattcac 16260 aggttttggg gatgagaatt ttaacacctt ttggggccca ttctaccaca gtgcttagtc 16320 tcatttcccc ttatattctt ttattttttt attaatttga gacaaggtct tactctgttg 16380 cccagcctgg agtacagtgg tgctatcatg gctcactgta gcctccccct cctgggcgca 16440 agtgattctc acacctcagc ctcctgagta tctgggacca caggtgtgag ccaccgtgcc 16500 cagctagttt tttatttttt attttttgta gagacaggtt ctccctatgt ggcccagtct 16560 ggtcttgaac tcctgagctc acatgatcct cccacctcgg cctcccaaag tgctaggatt 16620 ataggcgtga gccaccactc ccagccgctt tttgtttttg ttttcgtttt ttatttttta 16680 aagacatggg gtctcgctct gttgtatagt gatttcgtgt cgtgtcatgc aatgatgtga 16740 tcatagctca ctgtaacctt gagcttctgg gctcacacaa tcctcctgcc tcagcctccc 16800 cagtagctag gactacagag aagccaagac ctcaggtaca tgttcccaca catggccagt 16860 agctggagac cagccatgga ctgggcacag tggctcacgc ctgtaatccc agcactttag 16920 gaggctgagg cgggcagatc acctgaggtc aggagtttga gaccagcctg gccaacatgg 16980 tgaaactccg tcttctacta aaaatacaaa aaattagccg gccgtggtgg cacatgcctg 17040 taatcccagc tactcaggag gctgagacag gagaatcgct tgaacccggg aggcggaggt 17100 tgcagtgagc cgagatggcg ccactgcact acagcgtggg caacaagagc gaaactctgt 17160 ctcaaaaaaa aagaaaaaaa aaacagacat tggctggcct tgtggctcac acctgtaatg 17220 ccagcacttt gggaggccaa ggtgggagga ttgcttgagg ccaggagttc aagggtgcag 17280 tgagctatga ttgaacactg cattccagcc tgggcaacgg agagggacca tgtctctaaa 17340 acacacacac acacacacac acacacacac acacacacac aattgtttcc tcagttctgg 17400 aggctggaag tctgagataa gggtgccagc gtggttgggt tctgactggg agttgggtgt 17460 cttctgtgtc ctcacatagc agagagagag agatcaggag attgaaatct cttcctcttg 17520 taaggccaca gtcctatcaa tattacttgg aatctgtggt cacacagttc agccttagta 17580 gttggttggc acacctgtgt cccagaccca tttttctgga agtttccagc ttcatgtgtt 17640 tctggcagat cagggcgctg cctcctaggt cacttgccct gatggtatgg gacagtcagt 17700 aagaagctag gctccggcag tgccttgaat tactgcaaaa agcagtgctt tatcacagct 17760 tcagcagaag ccttccacag caggagtccg gggtgtggtc tcacatcggt gggggcagac 17820 agcagccagt ggtgactaat ctgagttctt tgttttctga gacggagtct ggctctgttg 17880 cccaggctgg agggcagtgg tgttgtgatc ttggcttact gcaacctccg cctcccggat 17940 tcaaccaatt ctccttcctc agcctcccaa gtggctggga ttacaggagt gtgccactgt 18000 gcccagataa tttttgttgt tggctttttt ttggtgggga accagagtct cagtctgtca 18060 cccacgttcc agtgcagtgg cacaatctca gctcactgca acctctgcct cccaggttcc 18120 agtaattctc ctgcctcagc ctcccgagta actgggatta cagccatgca ccaccacacc 18180 tagctaattt ttattattat tattaatagt agagatgggg cttcaccata ttggccaggc 18240 tggtctcaaa ctcctgacct gaggtgatcc acctgcctcg gcctcccaaa gtgctgggat 18300 tacaggtgtg agccaccata ctggtcttaa tctgagttct tggaggcagg tttgcatctc 18360 atttgttcac ttggaccagt gaattcctga tgccatcatg gaactttgtg cagactagat 18420 gttcgggtgg tcagagggtc agattgattt gggagtggca ggtgaggacc tgggatagaa 18480 gatggtcttt ctgctttgga agagaagcat ggtgctgtgt gggggcttgg ggatgagctg 18540 gcggtgggtg gtggacaggg ggcctcagct cggaggccag gctgctcttg actgagccag 18600 gggccacagt agctgcccag gcaggaggga tttgtgtggg caccagagct ctggcaggtg 18660 cacatttgtt agggaggagc agtatccaga tacaggcact gctccctctg gagttgctgc 18720 cagccaggga gggtgcgtct ctggcagcga aaggcaggaa tagctcctgg cctaatggca 18780 gctggaaaag aagctgcaag aggatatggg tttgttgtgg aagaggtggg ggcttgaaac 18840 cctgaggacc aagaatcctg ccctcaattt ctgattgaca ctattgacta aaggtagctt 18900 ttttcattgg tggaggaagg gcagtagttc atttgttcag cctcaattta tctatccata 18960 tcctgggcat gagagtagcc aactctctcc tgggatatat ggagggatca catgggacaa 19020 tcaatagata taataattgt ttcgaatcct gcatatacct tataggtgtg aagtggttgt 19080 gtcctttgtg aattctcttg gccaggcacc agtgggaggt tagatagtga cctggagttt 19140 gtgttgagga attagtagcc tttgaatgcc tgcctttgta gctgttgcac atacgttagg 19200 cttactttca actaaatgga attagctaat tgatttcttc agaggtccaa gtgataacag 19260 agccaaacct tgctagccca taggggtgag agtctagctt agtgacaggt tgtttttggg 19320 agacacaccc tttgtgtctt cacttctctg tcccctgtct ccgtcctgct ctccctctca 19380 cccattctgc cagctctgct ggccccatgg gcacctagag cacatgcact tggtgaatct 19440 agatctttct tccctgagac attgctgcac cccatcacct catcacctcg cttccttcag 19500 gtctccaaca agtcaggtca tcctgaatat tttctgtaaa actttctgtt aaattctacc 19560 ttcattattc tttcatttta gcctgccttg tttttctctg tggcactcat cactatttga 19620 tattgttgca tatttatgaa tctattttct gtcttcttgg tcgggaacat aagctccatt 19680 aggatggaga ctttgtctgt tttgtttaga ttatattctc atcatctgaa atagtgcctg 19740 tagggcctca aaaagttcat agcagattaa tgagtgaatt taacaagtag acactattga 19800 tggtgctgag ccacatctgg gccctctctc agcgtggagc ggaattatgc acacaggcga 19860 gtatacagac tttgatgcct ggtgctgccg ttttgcaaaa agacttctcc aacccactgt 19920 cttctttttg aatttttaaa taaatctggc cgggtgtcgt ggctcacacc tgtaatccca 19980 gcactttggg aggccaaggc gggcggatca cgaggtcagg agttcgagac cagcctggcc 20040 aacatggtga aaccccatct ctactaaata tacaaaaaaa ttagctgggc gaagtggcag 20100 gtgcctgtaa tcccagctac tcaggagact gaggcaggag aattgcttga acccaggagg 20160 cggaggttgc agtgagctga gaccgtgcca ccgcactcca gcctgggcaa cagagtgaga 20220 ctccggctca aaaataaata aataagtaag taagtctgga tattttagtc ctggaaagga 20280 taccacattt gaagtcaaag acctgatctg aaattctgtc ttcaccatta cttgctgtac 20340 ctctgataaa tgccctaacc tccctcaccc atgattttct catctatgta atgggaaaat 20400 acttgttctg cctacctggg gcttaacatt tattgtaaag atcaaatgaa atgagtttct 20460 ccccacgccc cacagtgtat tggagtctgg cagttgtctc ctggccactg tcctctgttg 20520 caagttgaga aatgtgatct ttacttcctg tccaacccta aagatccgga aggcgtggat 20580 ccgtcacaga gagttacaca acattgtcta cccagatccc aattgaagaa aatccacagg 20640 aagacaaggc aggctctttt catcctaccc ataatgacta atccatcatt gcctcagtaa 20700 cttgatcgtc agcccgggta gcagatatcc ctccccgaag ctgatgaaac agggcagaga 20760 ggaagtatcc aagagaaaag ggagggaggt ttctctaaaa caagacctac aataaggaca 20820 ttattgtcta aaggaaataa ataattgaaa gtttctgaaa actgagattt cttcatctca 20880 aatgacttta ttagcccaaa aaagtacaaa aattattttc ctcacataat attaatggtg 20940 ggaatcaaaa tgaatcagta gatgggggat ccagattgga atgctgctac accatagtag 21000 aatccttctg ggaacctacg gtgggaaagg atcacttgta gcaaaaagat ccagagttgt 21060 gcagagggac cacgtcagca gtgatcactt ttcagtaacc gtctttttct gctgatcatt 21120 ttagggtcac tatgaggtca gactggatgg tgggagtgga taccaatttt ttttttactg 21180 cctacatatg cttcatgagc tataatttgt ctttttttcc accacagatc tctgtttctt 21240 ttccttactt tcatgcccat aatttatctt acagatgtgg tttaatgctt tgctgatttg 21300 acatagcttt cttttccatt tcattgattg ctacttaaag atgcacaagg ctttcagggc 21360 ctcacatgaa tgatgagatg agatccaaca tcaagaatct gaagcaaaga cacttgtggt 21420 ttcagaacgt gtaaatagag cttggtgatt ttctgttgag tttgttgggg gaatgcataa 21480 tgattaggat taggtgtttt tctattttaa aaagttgctt ctagaggcat agaagacaat 21540 tctgatacac tatttaaatt ttccatacaa atccaggcat gtttatgcaa aagaaaaaaa 21600 aacaccagta caaaacaaac aagatatgat ctgactgggc atggtggctc acccctgtaa 21660 tcttagcact ttgggaggcc aaggcaggag gatcccttaa ccacaggagt tcaagaccag 21720 cctaggcaac atagggagaa cctctttaaa aaaaaaattt ttttttaatt taaaaaaaaa 21780 aagatcaaat gagacaaatg ctattcacat gtttcttgtc ttgttatcgc cacttcaaat 21840 tcccatttat tttgtccagt gaacatttga aagactcaga tatgaagttc aggggccatg 21900 cactttgtgc ctctttcccc agtattaatg cacttacacc tgtctatttt tctctttctt 21960 ttagtggggg agataatgcc tctttctttt gtgtacagca ggacagtggg tcattgtgta 22020 tgtacagaag tgatgtggat tcctcccaga ctcattagtg accagggctg ctgggcctgt 22080 ttgggtttcc tagactagag aagaagacag gaaccaggat gggaagacgg acatgttaca 22140 ttttaagctg gagcttcccc tgcagtccac ggagcacgtc tcggtgtgca gctcatcctg 22200 actttctcct atcgattaca cgtgagtcag tccgctggga ggctgtcctc tcccttgtgt 22260 ctttttagta gaccagagtc cttcttctga tttctagaag acccgcactc tagcgggccc 22320 tcttccccat gtagtttggg atttaactta ggccaatgga atggttttca ctagtcatat 22380 taactgacat gggctattaa tagctcagaa ggttctaggc agtgtttcct gcatggctac 22440 gctaggtatg tgagggcctc ttaggtttca gccaagacag gtgactctta gcacccagag 22500 cccttcagat ctgatggcgg ttggtattgt tggtccttct aatgatttca gaggatggcg 22560 accctcgtga tgcagagcat ggcgtttctc cagtcctcct ttcctgtccc gggatcccag 22620 ttatacgtga acggagacct gaggctgcag cagaagcagc cgctgagctg tggtggccta 22680 gatgcccgat acaatgtaag ggcgcttcta ttgtccagct cctttgtttc tgtgtgttac 22740 tgttcgtcga gttctttgaa gagggggata aaaagtagaa atatttctct gtgggtggct 22800 ttcaagggac cttctgagga attcttgcca tgaagtcttt tcagactatg aagatacacc 22860 tgtatttaca cctagaggga gagagagaaa aaatctgtgt ttgttgaata actaaattgt 22920 ttattgcttt taggtacaca tgtgcacgtg cacacacacg cacatacatt ctctcttcca 22980 tacacatact tggagtatgt gtttccaaga gatcatgtaa aatgttcatg taaagtattt 23040 cagaaatact actagacagt ttactgaacc cataacatat gccagccttg agtgcagggg 23100 tttatacgta tcatctcctt taatcatcac agcaacctct gagctgcctg cactgtcctt 23160 tcccagcact ccagccagtg gtcccattgc tgtccccctt gctactttgc agcccccctg 23220 gcctttttgc tgttccttga acccaagaag cagctgccac ctcagggctt ttgctcttgc 23280 catttcctct gccaggcatc catgtggctt atctaaccat gccattcagg tccctgttca 23340 gatatcgcca agcaccatcc ttccctgacc tgcttctaga gtagcagccc ctccctccac 23400 catctctcag ccagactctc cctcctgccc cctggcctac tcaggatatg tgtttgtgtg 23460 tttatttgtt gtctccctca gccttgacag cagtggcatc tcatacacta tcatgtccat 23520 gcctagcaca ctgcctatca cttggtaagc tcacagagaa gcttgtttga agaatgaact 23580 cattttggag aagacaaaac tggggcttac agtgattaat tttcccaaag gctcaaatct 23640 tgaaagtata acagagccag gaactttctg tgtccagaac tcatgcatct aatcactcat 23700 tcctcacctt tattttatca cagtggggac catagaagat gagctgctgt actttggaaa 23760 atgaaaaagg gaaattatca gttataaggc atcctcccac ctcagcctcc aagggtactg 23820 ggaatacaga catgagccac tgcacctaac cttttttaaa acaatttcat ttattatttt 23880 atttattttt tgtgacagag tttcactttg tcacccaggc tgcagtgcag tggcgcaatc 23940 atggctcact gcagccttga cctccccagg ctcagatgat cctcctacct cagccttctg 24000 agtagctagc tgggactaca ggtgcatgct accacgcctg gctaattttt acattttttg 24060 tagagacggg gtttgccatg tttctcaggg tggtgtcaaa ctcctggacc caagtgatcc 24120 actcaccttg gcctcccaac atgctgggat tacaggtgtg agccactgtg cctgcccccg 24180 cacccccttt ttaataaaaa aactagactc tcactctggc ccaggctgga gtgcagtggc 24240 ctacctatga ctcattgtgc ctcatactcc tgggtacaag cagttcaccc acctcaccct 24300 ccctggaagc taggactgga ggcaccacaa tgcctagttt attgggattt tttttttttt 24360 ttttttttgg tagagatggg atctttatgt tgcccaggct ggtcttgaac ttctgtcctc 24420 tcaagcagtc ctcctgcctc agcctcccag attgctggga ttacaggcat gagccatgac 24480 atccagctga gagagatttt ataaatagct ttaaaatcta tgaaacatgg acactgacca 24540 cttattttca tccccacaga aggaaggaca gagtaaatga acttaaattg ttgcaagaga 24600 gtttattcat ctttgaagaa aagattattg atactgcagt aggccaccaa gaacaagagg 24660 gtgctctgtg ggaccagcct gggtgggcag aagggtagaa ggaaaagggg aggagtctcc 24720 caggtgctca caccacatcc tcctcccgtg tcccaagtat ctgtgaccaa cgggaccagc 24780 ccctttgcct atgactacga cctcacccat attgttgctg cctaccagga gaggaacggt 24840 gggtcacagg tagagcccat tcagccgctg ctcaggactt tcaaggttag tgggggcaac 24900 agagacaagc agaactggaa cccttgtgat gaaaatgtca aaacccgtga atgctcaacg 24960 atgggagcaa atgtgctgcc caggatttgt ctttttcgtg ctgatcttca gacccgggac 25020 cacccgcacc cctccagcat cccgtggtcc agcaggctag tgatggttaa atgccatcat 25080 tatcccacca ctggcttggt gggtttctct tttaaaaaat ataagcctaa ttgagttgtt 25140 ccccatagca cacctataac agatgccaaa gacaaattgc tgttcatgct tttcagagaa 25200 aaacagagaa cgtgggtgag tctccccaca ttagcagtcc agcaggagaa caggagtgcc 25260 cctgtttcct gccagaaggc acagtgtgct cattccttac agagctctag gccatggcat 25320 gtgttcactc ggcatgtttg gctggtccgt ggctgaggtt gtctgtgaag gcatctagag 25380 tgttacttgg caaccagaca tcatggagac tatacacaaa catttcacaa gggggaacga 25440 ctgcaaatcc agtattgctt tctgatttta tgtcatacat tagcagcatt tttataatag 25500 taaagggaat tctaaaacaa aactaaaaag cacggcccaa gaaatcgatg ttttttcttt 25560 acttttttca ctctttattc ttatgtggat tttaaaaata tacctattat gatagtgttg 25620 aaacactttg gcatccaaat tatttgtatt tccatgtaat aaaagtattt ccccacactg 25680 ctacaaagtt ctaatttttt ttttttttga agagacacag ggtcttgctc tgatgatcag 25740 gctggagtgc agtgctgtaa tcatagctga ttgtaacctt gaactcctgt gggctccgtg 25800 atcctctcac ctcagcctcc tgggccgcta ggactacagg cacgtgccac catgcccagc 25860 taattttttt ttatttttta gtagagagag ggtctcaata tgttagccaa gctgctctca 25920 aactcctggc ctcaagtgac cctcccacct tggcctccca gatccttggg attacaagaa 25980 tgcgcgactt tgtccagaca aacatattat ttagagtggc aacatgttat tctttcagtt 26040 agccattcag caattgtaga tgatcacatg accatttcca agtttttgac gtattttaat 26100 ataaatatcg gattagtcct ttctcacaca gctgtaaaga catacctgag actgggtaat 26160 ttataaagaa aagaggttta actgacttag agttctgcat ggctgggtag gcctcacaat 26220 catggcagaa ggcacctctt cacagggcgg cagaagagag aatgagagca gagctaagta 26280 agcagatctg ataaaaccat cagatctggt gagaactcac tatcatgaga atggcatggg 26340 gaaactgccc ccatgattca attatctcca cctggtcctg cccttgatcc gtggggattg 26400 ttacaattca aggtgagatt tgggtcatag agccaaacca tatcaaatgc ttttttgaca 26460 agtatcttaa caaattattt gttaatctac tttgtacatg caatttttaa tgctttcgaa 26520 tgatttcttt tagttctgaa gtacagaata tcccacagga ataaaataat acttttatag 26580 ccgagcgtgg tggctcatgc ctataatccc agcactttgg gaggctgagg caagcagatc 26640 acctgaggtc gggagttcaa gaccagcctg accaacatgg agaaacccca tctctactaa 26700 aaatacaaat ttagctgggc atggtggcac ctgcctgtaa tcccagctac ttaggaagct 26760 gaggcaggac aattgcttga acccgggagg cagaggttgc agtgagccaa gatcactcca 26820 ttgcactcca gcctgggcaa caagagcgaa actccatccc aaaaacaata ataatatttt 26880 tatagcccta atatattttg ccaataggct gccccatcat ggattaatgg ttaatgattg 26940 tattgcagtt gccaccatcc tgaatgaccc caacttcatc tggctggtag gcagagccat 27000 gaaactccat ttgtgattaa tgttgtcatc cagtaccctg tggaaaccat atcatatcct 27060 ttctgttaca gaggcagtgg taactcaact tccaaaaagg aaagattcca aagttgtccc 27120 cagcagaaac acatgtggga gcctttgatt ggaaattgct acagcactgt atctccacat 27180 aaatgactat gtctgctctt tatacagggg ggaggatcat ttcctgttcg tatttctttc 27240 tgagccattc ttctaagtca gaatcatcca tatttatttt ttaataatct tttattattc 27300 ctttcatctt aagagtattt gaaatattct tgccatatcc tgtctggcct aaaccttagt 27360 ttactttgac ttataccatg tggtccccaa ctctttaact gtctgtcctt atcagccagg 27420 attctgggcg atggtaaagt tcgcctgggt gcagtatgtc agcatcctgc ttatcttcct 27480 ctgggtgttt gaaagaatca agatcttcgt gtttcagaat caggtggtga ccaccatccc 27540 tgtgacagtg atgccccagg gagaagtgtg taaggagcac ttatcctaga aaggccgttt 27600 ctgaagactc agcaggacca tggctgcctc attgtcatct tctgggaacg tcttaggacc 27660 ttttgaaaga gcccagcgga cacctgcggg cttgtgtgct tttccctcag agacaacggt 27720 tctttccagt tttgctctac acagttccgt atcttcagag ctcctgcaga attgtcaggg 27780 actagtttgt ggaaaggtct gagagttcct ggaggctata attagctttt tgggtttttc 27840 ttctttgcct tagcgttgaa tttcaggaga aaattgcagt cagttcagac atcttggaaa 27900 gagtcccatc tctggtcaag cagagacttt tcctctgttg aactgaggaa cacactgtgc 27960 atttcttcct tctgttgtga gccactctta ctcttttcag ggctctcttg tgacaaacat 28020 gccaatcact agcactttgc acccctgggc ttctccattt cccattcaca gctttgattt 28080 ccagagctga ggcctttaac tggagacctg gaggggcagg gcccaagggc aagggccgca 28140 ttagcacagg caatcaggga gggccgctga aggacacttg gaccgtccac ctgccccagc 28200 ccaacagtca gtcatctgtc atcagctcag ctgagcagcc ctggatccct gcccgactgt 28260 ggctggctct ttgcccggtt tttccctctg tctgtgcccc tggatggcag gctgaagtca 28320 gaggggctgt ttcattctca gccccctcag cagcactggg ggaagaaagc attgtcacaa 28380 caggttcttt ctggccctca cccaacagcc tgggcacttg gccctcctcc tccttgacag 28440 ccctccccct tcctgcaaag gacaggggcg acaggggttg gtgttgggat tggctcccgc 28500 tgcctgacaa ccacaagttt atttggaagg gctagcggga agcccagcgg ctggcgtttc 28560 ccttgactaa ggaaaagggt gcccatcaga gtggggcggg cagctttggg aaggacacaa 28620 gaagcagtga gggtgtaaag aggatgctgg cctgggcagg ccagtccagc ctggccacta 28680 gcagaatacc aagcagtcca gtggattatc ctcgtggcta agcaagtgtc tgcaggagca 28740 gagatggctg gaaggggcct ctgcacacgg aagatggctt gttcagccca ttcacctcct 28800 gaggatgcgt gcagtctcct ccaagaacac atggagctgc ttcctgatcc caagcaggtc 28860 gttgcccctg gaaggacatg gctccggtga tccatgcttc atgcccaccc agaaacacac 28920 ccctcagtgt gtgcctcagt ttaccttgga gatcattttt catctccagc atccgtttcc 28980 tttaggctga ctaaaaacag ttttggaaac aaagctattt tgaagtattc aagcagagga 29040 attctctaac actgtccccc ttgtcttttt ttaatattct ggctatttta gatgcctaaa 29100 tttttttctt gagatttatt tatttttata gatggggttt tcactatgtt gcccaggctg 29160 gtcttgaact cccaacctca ggaaatcctc ctgtctcagc cccccaaagt gccaggaata 29220 taggcatggg ccagtgtgcc ccgtctcttg agactgaaat gaaaaattgc ttgtggttta 29280 aatccccaga atttaatgaa acatgggaag atggctaaag atacgtataa actttggttt 29340 gcattttgtt aaattatttg aatgcaaaac ttgtataaag aatccattat gttctgtagc 29400 tttctaatta aaatgttcaa catggaaggt tgtattagct atttttgaag caaggctttg 29460 gagggaggaa gaatagggag ggctgaagtt gagcacactt ctccgagtta ctcaccagta 29520 gccttgcttt gccacggctc tgcccaaaga ccttggagct tttgttagct ctttggcaaa 29580 agtttcctgg tccaacccca agtatattag tttttagtgg aatccacatg gcatatggga 29640 gctgcgggtt ggaaaattac aactgtgtct ggtgaatatc aaattattta cggatcattt 29700 attggtagtt tctgaaactg aaccacacag catagttgca ggaggaagaa aggtaagaaa 29760 tatacaggat tttatcaact gagctgaagc cataggtaag tcatatttga gataattatt 29820 gaatttgttt tgtgggagag aaatctctaa ttcttccaaa tgattagtcc agtttctgcc 29880 aaagcaggtg aggtgtctaa tgccccactg agtgcccatc ttgaagctta ttaaagcaat 29940 tctctctctt tgcgtccctc ttaccttatc ctccacatcc ttgccccctc tccttattca 30000 tgctttgtaa agaggttttg gagctttctg gccagataac ttctaaatac tgattaagga 30060 aatgtaaatt acatgatcct aaggaaaata atgattgccg gccaatcccc tacccagagt 30120 tatggttggc cttctggcac acatctttct atcccataca ctatttctaa ctttttaaaa 30180 atcatgaaca ggccgggcac ggtggctcat gcctgtaatc cgagcacttt gggagacaga 30240 ggcgggcaga tcacatctga gctcaggagt tcgagaccag cctggacaac atggtgaaac 30300 cctgtctcta ctaaaagtac aaaaattagc ctggcgtggt ggtgggcacc tgtaatccca 30360 gctattcagg aggctgaggc aagagaatca cttgaactcg agaggcggag gttgcagtga 30420 gcctagatcc tgccattgca ctccagcctg ggctacaaaa gtgagactcc atctgaaaaa 30480 aaaatcagta tcaaaatcat gaacaacact tatatgaacc ctgtacataa atccttgttt 30540 ctggtttatt tccttaagat agctcctaga aaggaattac caatccgaaa agcttacgac 30600 cattgtcaag aatcttaatt catcttgcca aaccacaacc aggaaggact gcttatttct 30660 tctcccagca gcagggagtt cttgattaag atcccatcac taatttgaca agacctagaa 30720 atgcttcatc cttttcaggt gcctgggctc tgccctgtta tttgtaaagg ggattttttt 30780 tttttttttt ttttgaaaca gtttcgctct gtcgcccagg ctggagtgca gtggtgcaat 30840 ctcagcttac tgcaacctcc gcctcctggg ctcaagcagt tctcctgcct tagcctcctg 30900 agtagctagg attacaggtg cctgccacca cgcccggcta atttttgatt tttagtagag 30960 acggggtttc accctgttgg ccaggctggt ctcgaactcc tgacctcgtg atccacccac 31020 tacggccccc caaagtgctg ggattacagg cgtgagacac cgcgcctggc cggatttttt 31080 tttttttttt ttgcgaggga gtctcgcttt gttgcccagg ctggagtgca gtggtgcgat 31140 ctcggctcac tgcaagctcc gcctcccggg ttcacgccat tctcctgcct cagcctcccg 31200 agtagctggg actacaggtg cccgccacca ggcctggcta atttttttgt atttttagta 31260 gagacggggt ttcactgtgt tagccaggat gatttcgatc tcctgacctc gtgatccgcc 31320 cgcctcggcc tcccaaagtg ctgggattac aggcgtgagc caccgcgccc agccctggcc 31380 ggaaatatct tatttattga aacgtatcat gtctttatct ggacctgcta tgaacctgcg 31440 cctctgggcc taggctaggg cagggaatgc gcaggaggag gggaaaagct gcggacccag 31500 ctcctaaggc cacctggtct ctccgctctt cccagttggg acactgcacc gggtccatgt 31560 gtcatccagg tgccgtggcc ttgggaaggg tttggattcc aagtcacctc gccgcaagat 31620 gcccccgaga gtgaggaggg tcaagattaa gattcgactt ccttcactag ggcctttgtc 31680 ctcccaggag ccccccttct ctggggattt ggggtggggt ggggtacaac gtttctctgt 31740 agtcagatga gaggtgactc tgccagcgcc ctttgacatt ctgggctaaa agttgagcct 31800 ctcagagccc cagcccacct gggccctcct gccccgccct cggccggcgc ccctccctcg 31860 aggcgtggcc cctcggtcgg gggtgggcca accggctcct tccttccccc acggcgctag 31920 ctcccgctgg ccacctcggg accgcagcca cgtctgaaag cgcctcattg tgtgcgctcg 31980 ggcgggctgc accgggcagc gccgagggtt gccggccggc gcgcggggag tagagggcgc 32040 gggccgcagt gccgggttcc agagggagct ctgcgccggg tccttccctg tggtagcccc 32100 aggacacccc cagcctcaac atcccattct gggactcctg ccctgttccc acattcgttc 32160 tacctcgagt ctccaggagc ttccagtggc ttggtcaccg ccaactctcg tccatgcctc 32220 ttagagcccc tttcccggcc tcaccgggtg tcgcttaata gtcttgggac cttaaggagc 32280 aagtcagccc ctgcggaccc tcccagtgaa gagaaagagc tggctgtgcg gtggaatttg 32340 gaagagacga cgtttgggag cctttgctga gtccagggag agaggcgtcc cccaccgtgc 32400 cgctgcagct cgggcagagc cgccaagctt tggggtacgt tggttcttca ttctccgcgg 32460 gggatgtccc cacactcggg tcggctgggg gtcgggctgg tggcacagct ggggacgctc 32520 ctctgtcctg caccggggac ctggggtggc gggaagagct gggagtggct tttccatcag 32580 caacgtggaa agggcatcgc cgctgttggc gccggtttgg aagtgtcttg ctggggcttc 32640 ggctgcgcag gagaatcctc actgcgaggg gagaacccct tttgtctcga tacttgagtt 32700 taaaggacat gactttcaaa agctctccaa gggctttttc catagaatta ttgagagaca 32760 gtagcttggc gggttgattt ggaaccagac ccaggggaat tggagtcctg cgtcactgct 32820 tctgacggct tcatcttggc ttcaggacag gccctctggg cctcaggaca ggtgcctagc 32880 aaatgttgac tttcctttct cctccctttt tcacagaggc aaggcagtca agtttcccat 32940 ttttgaggat gggaaaactg aggcctgaag agcagaaagg agttggctga cttaaaccca 33000 caagcgagta ggccaagtac cagggcctct gagggtgcta tgctgctccg ggagctgggg 33060 ctgggctcct ctccagcctg agaggccgga acttttctgg ctttgttcta caaacagaga 33120 caactggagt atagagagcc agagagtgac ttgctctaag tcacacccct cactggtagt 33180 agagacagga tttgaaccca atccggcttc agaagccaag cttctaaggc cagtcgcagt 33240 ggttcacgcc tgtaatccca gcactttggg aggccgaggc aggtggatca cctgaggtca 33300 ggagttcaag accagcctgg ccaacatggt gaaaccccat ctctactaaa aatacaaaaa 33360 taagctgggc atggtggtga gtgcctgtaa tcccagctac ttgggaggct gaggcagaag 33420 aatcacttga acccaggagg cggaggttgc agtgagctga gattgcggta cttcactcca 33480 gtctggacaa cagcgagact ccatctcaga aaaaacacaa gccaggcctc tagccatgac 33540 tttccagcgt cttctgtttt gtttgccctt gtggggaccc tgtctgtgcc tgccacattc 33600 tgttgctggg gcactggggc acctgaatct ggtagagcca ttgtccttgg gttttcctca 33660 ttcaaagact ttcccttgga ttcatagaat ataagtgtgg cccagaaaga agattgctaa 33720 gcaaatactc ataagtgcac tatgtgccag actttgttct gctttacaaa tatccactca 33780 ctcactcttt caatcaagcc catgagttgg gttatattgt ttcccccact ttacagattt 33840 tttttttttt ttttgatacg gagtctcgct ctgtcaccga ggctggagtg cagtgaaagt 33900 gacataatct cggctcactg caacctctcc gcatcccagg ttcaagcgat tctcctgcct 33960 caaattcctg agtagctggg attacaggca cccgccacca cgcccggcta atttttgtat 34020 ttttagtaaa gatggggttt cactatgttg gtcaggctgg tctcaaactc ctgacctcgt 34080 gatccgccct cctcagcctc gcaaagtgct gggattacag gtgtgagcca ccgcacctga 34140 ccttccagat ttttttttaa ccaagcaggc acagaaggaa gtaacttgca caagatcacg 34200 cagtaaatgg tcaagtggga ttcacactct taacctcagt gctctatacc tactgtcttt 34260 aatgagacag acaccattct gcttctagtg tcttgggcgg ggaaatgggt ccagaaatac 34320 atgaacaaga tttttctggg tagtgataat agtattaata ataatttctc actatcacct 34380 attagtcaat attgaaatat atctgattac ctctagggta tctcctggca gatgtttttt 34440 tcaaatcaga atccacacaa ggtccacatg ttgcatttga ctatgtgttt tttggttttg 34500 gtttttgttt ttgtttttgt ttgagatgga gtctctctct gtcgcccaga ctggagtgca 34560 gtggcgtgat ctcagctcac tgcagcttcg gactcctggg ctccagtgat tctcctgcct 34620 cagcctcctg ggtagctagg attacaagca cgtgccacca cacctggcta ctttttgtgt 34680 atttagtaaa gacagggttt caccatgttt ggccaggctg gtctccaact cctgacctaa 34740 ggtgatctgc ctgtcttggc ctcccagagc gctgggatta caggcgtgag ccaccgcgcc 34800 cggccctgag ttattttcct ataaaatagt ctcttccttt ttctgtcata gatttggaag 34860 tatgatttac ttttaaaaaa taaggtaatt aaaataatgg ttaataaacc agggaacatt 34920 ccagattatc tctgtaatga gagggctctg tcaatactta gggaaacagg caaatgtgct 34980 aaaagcacag tcccactccg taccctgtgt gtgttgctgc agagaagaag tggggaaccc 35040 tcagacttta tggcctccag ctgtaaggta ctacaattta gaccaaggca ggtgctgtgt 35100 gaagtgccct gtgagaatcc ctaaagctcc cagccaagga aaagggtttg tgtgttgcta 35160 tctgcttatc tgctctgaaa tgccccaggg cagtggctct gagccaggga ggcttgaggc 35220 tcctttccca ggctaattag aattcatttc ccagtagatt ttgaaggcag atctgttttc 35280 tccatcagca tctgggcctt gcagtcccag ccccctgcct ctgggggatg ccatgcagct 35340 gcatcaccag gactggcaga gttggcagat gtggccaggg cttgggggcc aggcacagcc 35400 tcagtcacag cctggcccag cccacagtcc tggggttgag agtgtgcatg ggagctctga 35460 caccttttag tgcagagcgg gtaattcgtg cccctggact tctctggcta actgggtact 35520 caggtcagct gggagatggt tttgcaggca cctgtctctc tgcagtgata gctggacaaa 35580 gacaaactcc acctaagcct cctttaacca actagaaatt tctgatttta tcattgtagt 35640 aaaagtctga tgtagactat ctggaaaatg cagcaaagca ctaataagaa aataaattac 35700 cagccgggca cggtggctca cgcctgtaat cccagcactt tgggagactg aggcaggcgg 35760 atcacgaggt caggagatcg agaccatcct ggctaacacg gtgaaacccg gtctctacta 35820 aaaaatacaa aaaattagcc aggcgtggcg tcgggcacct gtagtcccag ctactcagga 35880 ggctgaggca ggagaatggc atgaacctgg gaggcagagt ttgcagtaag ccgagatcgt 35940 gccactgcac tccagcctag gcgacagagc aagactccgt ctcaaaaaat aaaaataaaa 36000 aaaaattacc tgtaaactgg ccatagaaaa ataaacacca aacttcagtg tgcatctccc 36060 atactttgta tttttttaaa taatggcttt attgagatag aattcatgta tgttaaagtt 36120 tatatatatt atatataagt atattatatt ttatatatat atatatatat atatatatat 36180 tttttttttt tttaagacgg agtttcactc ttgtcaccca agctggagtg cagtggcttg 36240 atttcagctc actgcaaact ctgccttcct gacctcaggt gatccaccca tttaatccaa 36300 agtgctggga ttacatgcgt gagccactgc gtccggccca aagtttatat tttaaaagtg 36360 tacagttcac tggcttatag tatattcagt gttttcacat tgaactttgt atatatcagt 36420 actttattct tttttattgc agataattgt ctactgtgtg gttacaccac attttgttta 36480 tctattcatc agctgataga cattagggat gtctccactt tttggctatt acgaataatg 36540 ctgctgtgca aattcatgag caggttttca tgtgggcttg tatgttcagt tctctagggt 36600 gtgtacccag gagtggatct gctgtatcat atggtcactc tattcaacct ttcgagaaac 36660 caccaaattg tttcttcagg aaatgcacca tctgacatcc ccattttatg aggatcccca 36720 cgtctctgtc atctcaccaa cacttgtaat tatatattat ttattataat taccttttta 36780 agattgtaac cttcttggtg gatggaaagt gacttgtcac tgtggtttaa tttgcatttc 36840 cccgctgcct aaaaatgtta agcatctttc cttttttttt gagacggagt ttcactcttg 36900 ttgcccaggc tggagtgcaa tggtgcgatc tcggctcacc acaacctctg cctcccaggt 36960 tcaagtgatt ctcctgcctc agcctcccga gtagctgggt ttacaggcat gcgccaccat 37020 gcctggctaa ttttgtattc ttagtagaga cggaatttct ccatgttggt caggctggtc 37080 tcgaactccc gacctcaggt gatccaccag ccttggcctc ccaaagtgct gggattacag 37140 gcgtgagcca ctgtgcccgg cctttttttt tttttttttt ttttttgagg caaagtctcg 37200 ctcttgttcc ccaggctaga atgcaatggc acaaccttgg ctcactgcaa cctctgcctc 37260 ccgggttcaa gcgattctcc ctccccgccg agtagctggg attacaggtg cctgccacca 37320 cgcctggcta gtttttggta tttttagtag agacggggtt tcaccatgtt ggccaggctg 37380 gtctcgaact cctgacctca ggtgatccac acacctcggc ctcccaaagt gctgggatta 37440 caggcatggg ccactgcgcc tggttgagca tctttccatt tgtgtatctt cttcagagaa 37500 acttctccca aatcctttac tcattttaat ttttttcttt attcattctt aaatttattt 37560 attcttatat ttcttaaata tgcttattct taaaaaaact aaataggata tttgcctatt 37620 ttgtgttgag ttgtaagagc tcttcttata ttctgggtac aagtcccatt ctgtagacat 37680 gatttgcaac tgttttctcc catctgtgag tgttctttga tattcgtgta tttttaacac 37740 ccagccaact gtgtgaaaaa tacatgcaca tctaagaaca cacacagatg ggagaaatgt 37800 atatatgtat gtcagctttg ttacttctgt tttccacttg acactatgta gcgaagagct 37860 ccaaggttac actgctagac ttccaactct gactcagcag ccactgtgtg aattcttccc 37920 gcaagtccct tttctttttt cttttttttt tttttttttt ttgagacaga gtcttgcttt 37980 gttgcccagg ctggagtgca gtggcacaat ctcggctcac tgcaacctcc gcctcctggg 38040 ctcaagcgat tcttctgcct catcttcacg agtagctggg attacaggca tgcaccacca 38100 cgcctagcta atttttgtat ttttagtaca gttggggttt cgtcatgttg tccaggctgg 38160 tcttgaactc ctgacctcag gtaatccgcc cgcctcggcc tcccaaagtg ctgtgattac 38220 aggcatcagt caccatgccc tgcctccctt aatttttcta cacctcactt tcctcatctg 38280 taaaataggg atgatcatca aggtccaatg tcatagggtt gctgtgagga tcaaatcaga 38340 aaatggatgg gaaagactgg gcatgtagga aaccctcata gatgatgttt gcaggggttc 38400 cttgttcctg ccccccatga acactcacct tccatcttta tgttttatgt tttgtttttg 38460 gttttgtttt tctttgagac gaagtttcac tcttgttgcc caggctggag tgcaatggcg 38520 tgatctaggc tcactgcaac ctccacctcc cgggttcaag cgattctcct gcctcagcct 38580 cccattacag acctcatgtg atccacccac cttggcctcc caaagtgctg ggattacagg 38640 catgagccac cgcacctggc ctgttttatg ttttatgttc cctgctttat gttttgtctc 38700 attttctgtt ttcttctctc ttctttcttc ctctttcttt tgctccttgt tagccttccc 38760 ccttccaaat gcccagggct ccactagagc agtttggccc cagttgtagc tcttgatgcc 38820 tcaaggccac tgactcctca ttgggtatgt tttttccagc ctttgggatt cttttttttt 38880 tttttttctc cttgtgacgg ggctttgctc ttgttgccca ggctggaatg caatggctca 38940 tgatctctgc tcactgcaac ctccacctcc cagactcaaa caattctcct gcctcagcct 39000 ctggagtagc tggggttaca aataggcacc tgccaccatg gtggctaatt tttgtatttt 39060 tagtagagac gaggtttcac catgttggcc aggctggtct caaactcctg acctcaggtg 39120 atccacctgc ctcggcctcc caaagtgctg ggattataga catgagccac cgtgcccacg 39180 tggctttggg attctcgaac agggatgacc tccagccaac tctaaacaga gaaatctaaa 39240 cctgggatct atacctagtg ttacattttg ttcccttaga ttctatgaac agggctggaa 39300 caggctggta acaagaagag ctgctgtgtc ttgttgttgt tttggttttg tttgtttgtt 39360 tgttttttga ggtggagtgt tactctgttg ccaggctaga gtgcagtggc atgatctgag 39420 ctcactgcaa cctctgcctc ctgggttcca gcgattctcc tgactccgcc tcccgagtag 39480 ctgggattac aggtgcccac caccacacct ggctaatttt tgtatttttt ctcttttttt 39540 tttttttttt ttttttaggg gggacggagt ctcactctgt ctgtcaccca ggctggagtg 39600 cagtggcacg atctcagctc actgcaagct ctgcctccca gattcacgcc attctcccac 39660 ctcagcctcc tgagtagctg ggactacagg tgcccgccac cacgcccggc taattttttg 39720 tatttttagt agagacaggg tttcactgtg ttagccaaga agatgtcgat ctcttgacct 39780 tgtgatccac ctactcagcc tccaagtgct atgattacag gcgtgagcca ccacgcctgg 39840 ccaaattttt gtatttttag tagagatggg gtttcaccgt gttggtcagg ctgtcccaaa 39900 ctcctgacct caggtgagcc acctgcctca gcctcccaaa atgctggtat tacaggtgtg 39960 agccaccact cccggcctgg agctgctgtg tcgagggtag gcagagcttg gctggaagtg 40020 agtgctgccc agagagccag gactcctggg ctccagctca accctgctat ggaaaaccat 40080 ccttggtcaa tgtcttgctt ttcctatttg caaatcaggc agaaccatag ctccttccta 40140 ggtctctcag gccaggccaa gaaatggtaa gggatgttta gaagatcctg tgactttaag 40200 gtgctcggca gaaagccatg tgggctactg gggaattcct ccctctggat gtggaccaca 40260 gagtatctga gtgcaatggc aagtatttgt tcatgtcctc tactcatttg ttgtttggga 40320 cattccttga catgactctt actatcttct tcagtcagga ttctttactt tttattgaag 40380 tatgccattc ttcagagtac atataatgaa agtacagctt ggtgaacttt cacaaactga 40440 acacacccat gtaattagca ctgtcagaga gaaacaacgc agggccagcc cccagaagct 40500 ctgcccctgc acccttccca cctcacccca ccaagggttt cactgtcact atctaatcac 40560 cactcttggg tgtaagtgac agaaactcat ctcccaagga cttaagcaga aagtgaatgc 40620 ttccctcagc tgaggggtcc atgggtaagc cttgcacaac tggatccaaa tgcttagatg 40680 gtgctgtcag cttgcctgtg aactttctct gctgagttct cttctgttgt tgattttaaa 40740 cctaggcagt ttcctcttcc cttgtgatca acaaaactcc agaattgcag ttgagcagat 40800 gtcccattcc taggccaata gttctgtgtg ggctgggggg gcagggtcag tgtgtggaat 40860 atagaggtgg gtctgtcttg ggacacatga cccttaggag ccgggagtgg tggatcagcc 40920 ccatctgagc cacatgcact tttgagtggg tgagggtgat tccccaggga aaagcctaga 40980 gactgttatc agaaggaaaa acgggtactg agtggacaga accaagcatg tccagtgcac 41040 ctgtgcagtg ctgatcctca cactagtcac cggagaacag gtgttcgctt gcgaaaaacc 41100 acaatccaaa gttccgggtt gctcacaggc aagaagggaa agcaaagtac aatgcagggc 41160 agagtggggc atgccttgac aggcacagag gaggtggctg caggcgaggc tgaaatgcct 41220 cccagtggga gtcagggctg cgcactcata gcatgggtga gggagttggg agagatggag 41280 cttgtttgat gaacactgat tattcccggc catctgaagc ctgggatatg ggagataagg 41340 ttggaaagct gaaggttact gaaaaggaga atgacaggat cagatgtgtg gtgtaggcac 41400 ctctgggggc aactgtacaa gatggactga agggaggcca ggtggggact ttgctggaat 41460 ccaggagata aggatgcagc caggaccagc atgaccctcc cgcggtggat gtccaggcca 41520 tccactggga caccatcagg tcccttgacc gtcacatagc cagatgtgtc ttcagtgtcc 41580 ccaacttgat tgtcagctct gccaggatcg ggatcctgag cactggcttt cctggatgaa 41640 tcttttgctg atcttatctc ttctctattt tccaaccttt atctgtcatt tatgtttttt 41700 gttctacttt tcacatcttt taaatttttc tttcaacgtt tctaatatct aatgcaatta 41760 gccccaagga aaactaaggg aaacaagaaa aaacaagaaa ggaaatgtac tctcagtact 41820 tcagctgtga gctgtgagct tcagctgtga gctggagtgt tttgctctgg ttttaggttt 41880 ttgatttttt ttaagaaaga gggtcacact ctgttgccca agctggtgag cagtagaatg 41940 atataactca ctgcaacctt gaactcctgg gctcaagaga tcctcccacc ttggcctccc 42000 aaagtgctag gattacaggc acgagccacc gtgcctggcc tccaggcata ttttatcctt 42060 tctcaagcta tgtgtagtgt tttgacaaaa ataaatttta aaaagagtta atgtcaaaaa 42120 aagtttctgt gacttaagaa ggaccactgc ttagggtgct cctcctgggt accaaaacaa 42180 gaaacagaac tttctattcc ctttatggcc tcttgtactt tttagttcca ccctcctcct 42240 gaaaaaatat gatcattttc atcatcatca tcaccatcat caccattaat tacttgttgg 42300 aaatttaaag cagaattgcc tctgaggttg gaaggctgga gagggcatga gagataggaa 42360 acgtcacttt cttctgcctg actggccttg tgctctggtg tggggctgtg tctgcccagg 42420 gggtgtggcc tcttttcctg tcttcacata tgaaacatga gctggcaatg ccctcatctt 42480 taccttgagt ttttttgttt gtttgttttg tttttgaaga tggagtctcg ctcctgtcgc 42540 ccaggctgga gtacagtggc gcatctcagc tcactgcaac ctccatctcc cgggttcaaa 42600 tgattctcct gcctcagctt cccaagtacc tgggactaca ggcactcacc accacacccg 42660 gctaattttt gtatttttag tagggttttg tcatgttggt caggctggtc tcgatctact 42720 gacctctagt gatctgcccg cctcagcctc ccaaagtgct gggattacag gcgtgagcca 42780 ccatgcgtgg cttagaattt tatacaacac ctatgtgtta acttttccaa aaagtaaaca 42840 tataataaat atgtgcccct catcaaggga agactttcaa gggggagata ggccttccag 42900 gatgggaaag ggcactggac aaaggctcag gactgcgaca cccaccacag agccctgcag 42960 tgagagtctg gttcttcgat gtatttatgt atgtttgttt gtttatttat ttatttactt 43020 tttgagacgg agtctcgctc tgtcacccag gctggagtgc agtggtgtga tcttggctca 43080 ctgcaacctc cacctcctgg attcaagcaa ttctcctgcc tcagcctccc gagtagctgg 43140 gactacaggt gcctgccatc atgcctggct atttttatat ttttagtaga gacggggttt 43200 caccatgttg gtcaggctag tctcaaattc ctgaccttag gtgatccacc cgcctcagcc 43260 tcccgaagtg ctgggtttac aggcgtgaag tcaccggcac acccggccta tttatttatt 43320 tattatttat ttatttttga gacagggtcc tttctccggt tttccagctg aagtgcagtc 43380 acacaagtct ctgctcactg caacctgtgc ctcctaggct caagcaatcc tcccactcag 43440 ctctgagtag ttggactaca ggtccgcggc cactgcactg ggctaatttt gtatttttag 43500 tagagatggg gtttggccat gttgcccagg ctggtcttga gcttctgggc ccaagcaatt 43560 cacccgcctc agcctcccaa agtgccctaa ttacaggcat gagttaccgt acccggctgg 43620 ctcttggatt taagcccctg cccttcctcc ttcttactgg atattcatgt ctctgagccc 43680 cactgcttca attaaaacag agaggtatgg tcatttctgc ctcccaggga cttgggatga 43740 tagcatttaa tcatgaagac agaagtacct atcacagggc ctgcctgact tgttcttcct 43800 aatgtcaaaa ccttggccca aatgtctact gtgctgaacg taaggctcct atcagaatgc 43860 tctcagctag gaactggtct tctggagact ctgtggcgta ggatgattca accaccttcc 43920 tagttcttga gtttcagtaa taggatctca tagcagttcc tgtagtgtgt gagtcactta 43980 agaagacctc tggcttccct ggaacacagg taacaaatac cttggcttgg gatcaagatc 44040 ctccctaccc agggaagggc tgagctggcc aggacaactg tgtttgggcc agagcagcag 44100 ggtcctgcac tctgcaggga gcaatcacag gtgggagaag cccacagcct gggatcagaa 44160 gtgccagaag cttaggaaca ggagtcctgg ggtcccagct ttctcgctgt ctctccaagc 44220 cttgagtctt tcacctgaaa aattgacatc atcgtgccca cctcagggcc cgttgagtta 44280 agtcatcgcg tggacttgaa gcacctagca cttgtgatca ttgaagtcag aaaatgagtt 44340 cccttctctt tcggcgcccc attggcagga agccaaccat cgtcagccca ctggcactgg 44400 aggagcgttg atcatgtgca gagcagatga gtggctactc tccctgtctt ccaggttttc 44460 ccagagtggc tgtgggatct ggagtcggct ggtgacagag ctgctgggca tcctccactc 44520 acccctgttg cctcctgatg agggaaatgg gcagagagga gatctgctca caagttagac 44580 cctggcttct ctcagtgggc agtgtggaca ggggaagggg gaaggcaggg agcaaaggat 44640 gcaggagcaa ggagaaaact tccaggctcc tcccttccaa agtcacccag ccttgagatc 44700 attgcagatg caacaggtgc aaagagaaga acactttggg accttggaat gcgggaagct 44760 ggctcagtgt tccttccacc ctgtgagaca tgtgtgacat ttttgttgtt gttgctgttt 44820 tgagacggag tttccccctt gttgcccagg ctggagtgca gtggcatgat ctcggctcac 44880 cacaacctct gcttcccagg ttcaagtgat tttcctgcct cagcctccct agtacaggca 44940 tgtgccacaa cgcctggcta attttgtatt tttagtagag atagggtttc tccatgttgg 45000 tcaggctggt ctcaaactcc caacctcagg tcgatctgcc tgccttggcc tgccaaagtg 45060 ctgggattac cagcatgaac ctccataccc gacctatgtg acattcttaa ggtccacgaa 45120 agggctggtg gttggaggcc agagggtggc ctgtgagata ctgggattgg aagagtaggt 45180 ggcctgtggg tgtctcctct ggggggagac tccccagggg gaggggttcc tcctctccaa 45240 acagtagctc agcacaggga cagtaacagt aatgggggca tgtgtgtaag gaatgctttc 45300 ccaggccccc tcttcatagg tgtttgcagc agcatctcac aatagcccta agaaggttaa 45360 atgttgcaca tcccatccta cagaagtgga aatcgagcct cagagaagtt gtgtcgcttt 45420 tggggctatc ttcccctgta gagtgtgact ccatcgcctc ctgctttacc aggtgctgag 45480 aacctctaat catctcccat ggatttgtga tcagcgttgc agctctccca gcagccctgg 45540 acagtggtga gtcccctcag ctggccggga cagtcctctg ctctcacctc tctgcttctc 45600 tggctccatc ccagctccgc ctcagctggt ctccttgcaa acccacaggg ctccaggaca 45660 tcctccctct ggagcccatg ctgccttcag cacttcaccc cctaccggtg atggcaacaa 45720 ttggtgttct ttgtccactt tatttattgg ctcatttttt tgtttttgag aaagagtctc 45780 actctattgc ccaggctgga gtgcagtggc ataatctcag ctcactgcaa cctctgcctc 45840 ccgggttcaa gcgattttca cgtcttcagc ctaccaacta gctgagacta caggacatgc 45900 accaccatgc ccagctaatt tttgtatttt ttttggtaag atggggtttt accatgttgg 45960 ccaggttggt gtcgaactcc tgacttcagg tgatctgccc acctcaacct cccaaattgc 46020 taggattaca ggcatgagcc actgtgcctg gacttatttg ctcattttga tatgtactgt 46080 atgttttgag tcagagtctc actctatcgc ccaagctgga gtgcagtggc atgatcaaag 46140 ctcactgcaa cctcaaactc ctgggctcaa gcagtcctcc cacctcagcc tcccgaatag 46200 cagggaccac aggcgcactc caccacacct ggctttcctt tttttgtttt ttttaatgtt 46260 tttgtagaga caggcaggct atccatatgt tgcccaggct ggtctcaaac ttttcgcctc 46320 aaggtatcct cccacctcag cctcctaaag tgctgggatt acaggcttga atcccaggct 46380 cgcatcctgc ctatttgctt cttttctttt cttttctttt cttttttttt ttttttggaa 46440 tgaagttttg ctcttgccca ggctggagtg caatggcgcg atctcgtctc actacaacct 46500 ctgcctcccg ggttcaagcg attctcctgc ctcagcctcc tgagtagctg gggattacag 46560 gtgcccgcta ccacgcccgg ctaatttttg tatacttagt agacatgatg tttcaccatg 46620 ttgaccaagc tggtcttgaa cttctgactt caggtgatcc acccacctcg gcctcccaaa 46680 gtgctgggat tacaggcgtg agccaccacg cccagcgcct atttgcttat tttcaataag 46740 aaaagttatt ttccataaga aaagttatac ctgtctattt aaaaaaaaaa aaaatcatac 46800 actgcagaag cacacgctgt agcaagggca ctcttcagtt agggacatta ctacatgtct 46860 ctcctgtcca tccaggatat tcaaacatgt tcccattttc caataatcca cttaaatcct 46920 gtattatgtg ctggtatcat ctcccttttg cagatgggta aactgagtca cggggcgatc 46980 caatattttg ttcaagatca caggctatgt atgtcagtgt agtgtgggag attaaaaaag 47040 gaaaaagacc acaggctacg gagtggaaga gcctcaggga gcctggccgt gctgtgacat 47100 ccaccagagc gcccatcagt tcaacaacct aaaagagttt ccttacagga attcttaagc 47160 aaaagacagg aattccgttt gaaatatatt tccctctcca aatagacaat ggtaatgtgg 47220 gtaggtagaa ctaagaaggt aggactcaca ttaagaaggt aggactcaca ttaagaaggt 47280 aggactcaca tgtagacaga tttccgaccg cattctgcat ttgtactttt gctctcagct 47340 agactggatc ctgagttatg tcttaaggcc acatttccgg gagagctccc cactgagacc 47400 atcatgttca tgggatgctc gggtctggtg gtagaatctg ccccctgcgg gcactgggca 47460 gtggggtacg ggatgggcgt gcaggctgca gcccctaacc gctgcgctct cctccctaag 47520 gcccccagca gtcagcatgt ggctgccgcg cgtctccagc acagcagtga ccgcgctcct 47580 cctggcgcag accttcctcc tcctctttct ggtttcccgg ccagggccct cgtccccagc 47640 aggcggcgag gcgcgcgtgc atgtgctggt gctgtcctcg tggcgctcgg gctcgtcctt 47700 cgtgggccaa ctcttcaacc agcaccccga cgtcttctac ctaatggagc ccgcgtggca 47760 cgtgtggacc accctgtcgc agggcagcgc cgcaacgctg cacatggctg tgcgcgacct 47820 ggtgcgctcc gtcttcctgt gcgacatgga cgtgtttgat gcctatctgc cttggcgccg 47880 caacctgtcc gacctcttcc agtgggccgt gagccgtgca ctgtgctcgc cacccgcctg 47940 cagtgccttt ccccgaggcg ccatcagcag cgaggccgtg tgcaagccac tgtgcgcgcg 48000 gcagtccttc accctggccc gggaggcctg ccgctcctac agccacgtgg tgctcaagga 48060 ggtgcgcttc ttcaacctgc aggtgctcta cccgctgctc agcgaccccg cgctcaacct 48120 acgcatcgtg cacctggtgc gcgacccgcg ggccgtgctg cgctcccggg agcagacagc 48180 caaggctctg gcgcgtgaca acggcatcgt gctgggcacc aacggcacgt gggtggaggc 48240 cgaccccggc ctgcgcgtgg tgcgcgaggt gtgccgtagc cacgtacgca tcgccgaggc 48300 cgccacactc aagccgccac cctttctgcg cggccgctac cgcctggtgc gcttcgagga 48360 cctggcgcgg gagccgctgg cagaaatccg tgcgctctac gccttcactg ggctcagtct 48420 cacgccacag ctcgag 48436 

We claim:
 1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising a sequence encoding a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) or active fragment thereof, wherein said GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 2. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said GlcNAc6ST has substantially the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 2. 3. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 2, comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding SEQ ID NO:
 2. 4. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 3, comprising SEQ ID NO:
 1. 5. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said sulfation of keratan sulfate produces sulfated keratan sulfate immunoreactive with antibody 5D4.
 6. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said sulfation of keratan sulfate produces sulfated keratan sulfate hydrolyzable by keratanase.
 7. A vector, comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST), wherein said GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 8. The vector of claim 7, which is a mammalian expression vector.
 9. Host cells, comprising the vector of claim
 7. 10. An oligonucleotide, comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 10 contiguous nucleotides of a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: _, or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto, provided that the oligonucleotide sequence does not consist of a sequence of GenBank accession number AI824100.
 11. The oligonucleotide of claim 10, having at least 15 contiguous nucleotides of a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: , or a nucleotide sequence complementary thereto.
 12. An isolated polypeptide, comprising an amino acid sequence encoding a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) or active fragment thereof, wherein said GlcNAc6ST or active fragment thereof catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 13. The isolated polypeptide of claim 12, wherein said GlcNAc6ST has substantially the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 2. 14. The isolated polypeptide of claim 13, wherein said GlcNAc6ST has the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO:
 2. 15. Substantially purified antibody material that specifically binds a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST), wherein said GlcNAc6ST catalyzes sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 16. The substantially purified antibody material of claim 15, which specifically binds a GlcNAc6ST having the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO:
 2. 17. The substantially purified antibody material of claim 15, which is monoclonal antibody material.
 18. A method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of an agent that increases expression or activity of a N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST), whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of said subject is elevated.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said subject has type I macular corneal dystrophy.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein said subject has type II macular corneal dystrophy.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein said GlcNAc6ST is endogenous GlcNAc6ST.
 22. The method of claim 18, wherein said agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a GlcNAc6ST, or active fragment thereof that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said GlcNAc6ST is selected from the group consisting of human GlcNAc6ST and murine GlcNAc6ST.
 24. The method of claim 22, wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes substantially the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
 26. The method of claim 22, wherein said agent is a GlcNAc6ST, or active fragment thereof, that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein said GlcNAc6ST is selected from the group consisting of human GlcNAc6ST and murine GlcNAc6ST.
 28. The method of claim 26, wherein said GlcNAc6ST has substantially the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein said GlcNAc6ST comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 30. The method of claim 18, wherein said agent increases transcription of a GlcNAc6ST that catalyzes the sulfation of keratan sulfate.
 31. The method of claim 30, wherein said GlcNAc6ST is selected from the group consisting of human GlcNAc6ST and murine GlcNAc6ST.
 32. The method of claim 30, wherein said agent selectively increases transcription of GlcNAc6ST in the cornea of said subject.
 33. A method of treating a subject with macular corneal dystrophy, comprising the steps of: (a) administering in vitro to primary, explanted corneal cells an effective amount of an agent that increases expression or activity of a N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase; and (b) introducing said cells into the cornea of said subject, whereby the amount of sulfated keratan sulfate in the cornea of said subject is elevated.
 34. A method of monitoring therapeutic efficacy in a subject being treated for macular corneal dystrophy, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a test sample from said subject; (b) determining a sample level of expression or activity of N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST) in said test sample; and (c) comparing said sample level to a reference level from said subject; whereby an increase in said sample level relative to said reference level is indicative of productive therapy.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said sample level is measured using a nucleic acid molecule that specifically hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO:
 38. 36. The method of claim 34, wherein said sample level is measured using an antibody that specifically binds GlcNAc6ST.
 37. A method of determining susceptibility to macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) in an individual, comprising determining the presence or absence in an individual of a MCD-associated allele linked to a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase locus, wherein the presence of said MCD-associated allele indicates susceptibility to MCD in said individual.
 38. The method of claim 37, wherein said macular corneal dystrophy is type I macular corneal dystrophy.
 39. The method of claim 37, wherein said macular corneal dystrophy is type II macular corneal dystrophy.
 40. The method of claim 37, wherein said MCD-associated allele is within a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase gene.
 41. The method of claim 40, wherein said MCD-associated allele is within a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase coding region.
 42. The method of claim 41, wherein said MCD-associated allele is a mutation of SEQ ID NO:1 selected from the group consisting of deletion of the entire open reading frame, insertion of two T's after 1106T, 1213A→G, 1301C→A, 1512G→A, 1323C→T, and 840C→A.
 43. The method of claim 41, wherein said MCD-associated allele is within the region coding the 3′-phosphate binding domain of corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase.
 44. The method of claim 43, wherein said MCD-associated allele is a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid mutation of SEQ ID NO:2 selected from the group consisting of 203D→E and 211R→W.
 45. The method of claim 40, wherein said MCD-associated allele is within a corneal N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfotransferase 5′ regulatory region.
 46. The method of claim 45, wherein said MCD-associated allele is selected from the group consisting of replacement of a 51 region of CHST6 with a 5′ region of CHST5 and deletion of a 5′ region of CHST6. 